Fiery Broad puts England on top

England’s Stuart Broad hit back at booing fans with a devastating five-wicket haul on Thursday but Brad Haddin’s fighting knock kept Australian hopes alive in a compelling start to the Ashes Tests.

Wicketkeeper Haddin and Mitchell Johnson came to the rescue after Broad, loud boos ringing in his ears at Brisbane’s Gabba ground, ripped through Australia’s top order on day one. Australia ended the day on 273 for eight.

The pair combined in a counter-punching 114-run stand for the seventh wicket before the outstanding Broad bowled Johnson (64) with the second new ball for his fifth wicket of the innings.

Just before stumps, Australia lost another wicket when Peter Siddle was caught in the slips for seven off James Anderson. It was Haddin’s 13th Test half-century as runs came easily in the last session. Johnson racked up his eighth Test 50 with a booming boundary before Broad had the last word.

If not for Haddin and Johnson’s fightback, Australia would have been in a parlous state after Broad had struck twice in the morning session and twice more after lunch to have the home side teetering at 132 for six. Broad, who was vilified in the build-up for not walking at a key moment during the recent Ashes Tests in England, revelled in his bad-boy role.

score board

AUSTRALIA (I Innings):
Rogers c Bell b Broad    1
Warner c Pietersen b Broad    49
Watson c Swann b Broad    22
Clarke c Bell b Broad    1
Smith c Cook b Tremlett    31
Bailey c Cook b Anderson    3
Haddin (batting)    78
Johnson b Broad    64
Siddle c Cook b Anderson    7
Harris (batting)    4
Extras (LB-11, W-1, NB-1)    13
Total (for 8 wkts, 90 overs)    273
Fall of wickets: 1-12, 2-71, 3-73, 4-83, 5-100, 6-132, 7-246, 8-265.
Bowling: Anderson 22-5-61-2,  Broad 20-3-65-5, Tremlett 19-3-51-1, Swann 26-4-80-0, Root 3-1-5-0.