On August 12, England pacerStuart Broad grabbed a six-wicket haul against Australia at Chester-Le-Street in the Ashes 2013. Broad took 11/121 figures in the game and became the Player of the Match (POTM).
Earlier, batting first after winning the toss, England skipper Alastair Cook elected to bat first. Riding on their skipper’s 51 and Jonathan Trott’s 49, the English side posted a total of 238 after playing 92 overs in the first innings. Nathan Lyon took four wickets and emerged as the highest wicket-taker for his team in the innings.
Following the score, Australia put up 270 runs on the board. Chris Rogers and Shane Watson played impactful innings of 110 and 68 respectively. Stuart Broad displayed courage and clinched 5/71 figures after bowling 24.3 overs. The pacer’s notable hunts were David Warner, Usman Khawaja, Michael Clarke, and Shane Watson. In the second innings, England saw themselves under trouble after losing their top-order batters Joe Root, Cook, and Trott at a score of 49 but Kevin Pietersen and Ian Bell held their nerves and built a crucial 106-run stand. Pietersen departed after scoring 44 but Bell went on to notch up 113, which helped the English side to erect a total of 330 in the end.
Stuart Broad wreaked havoc on Australia and scripted history
Defending 299 runs, Australia got a fine start from their openers Rogers and Warner but Greame Swann showcased his extraordinary side and got the better of the former on his score of 49. Warner, who was on 71, also fell against Tim Bresenan. Everything seemed well until Usman Khawaja's fall. After the southpaw’s wicket, Australia were in a comfortable position with the scoreboard reading 168/3.
Broad, who took a fifer in the first innings, stepped up for England again and ran through the visitor’s batting attack. He got rid of Clarke, Steven Smith, and Brad Haddin within 24 balls and pushed the Aussies under immense pressure. After picking up mainstay batters, the speedster made the tailenders Ryan Harris, Nathan Lyon, and Peter Siddle his bunny.
Australia, who were 168/2, lost their last eight batters at a score of 56 and handed a 74-run win to the hosts. Broad ended his second innings figures with 6/50. The pacer's 11/121 is the best figures for England in the Ashes since Phil Tufnell's 11 for 93, which came at The Oval in 1997.
