In the fifth Ashes Test on Friday at The Oval, England fought back against Australia thanks to two fast wickets from Stuart Broad before James Anderson joined in.
Australia was 186-7 at tea on the second day, remaining 97 runs behind England’s first-innings 283, after Broad struck twice in as many deliveries to dismiss stubborn opener Usman Khawaja (47) and Travis Head (four).
Star batter Steve Smith, though, lived and was still going strong at 40.
The most successful speed bowler in Test cricket, Anderson, had only taken four wickets in the series’ first three games at a pricey average of 76.75 each, casting doubt on his future as an international player.
However, the pacemaker, who will turn 41 on Sunday, dismissed Mitchell Marsh for 16, ending Australia’s innings at 151-5, as a result of Broad’s two wickets.
With a 2-1 lead and certain of keeping the Ashes, Australia simply needs to avoid losing at The Oval to win their first away Test series against England in 22 years.
Their situation prevented them from having to adopt England’s dangerous “Bazball” batting strategy.
However, it could be argued that the tourists went too far in the other direction during Friday’s arduous morning session, scoring just 54 runs in 26 overs while losing Marnus Labuschagne.
Australia began play on 61-1, with left-hander Khawaja still in the game at 26 and Labuschagne unbeaten on two after scoring 100 in the previous week’s rain-shortened fourth Test match at Old Trafford.
Labuschagne, on the other hand, needed an additional 59 balls to score just seven runs before edging an express fast bowler’s full-length delivery, and Joe Root held a spectacular one-handed grab diving to his left at first slip.
With two outstanding straight-drive fours off consecutive Anderson deliveries, the new batsman Smith quickened the pace, and Australia was 115-2 at the break.
But Broad, who has taken 167 wickets in 167 Tests and is known for his spectacular wicket-taking bursts, quickly brought Australia to 127-4.
Despite the batsman’s review, he bowled Khawaja, the series’ top run-getter, out leg before wicket after a stay of 157 balls.
Broad, who had established himself in Ashes cricket with a performance of 5-37 at The Oval in 2009, defeated Australia to become the first Englishman to capture 150 Test wickets.
When Head was caught behind off a superb delivery that nibbled away from the seam, that number increased to 151 wickets.
Marsh temporarily put Broad under pressure with a magnificent straight six before he hesitantly played on to Anderson while remaining still.
Due to Moeen Ali’s continued absence from the field due to the groin injury the off-spinner sustained while batting on Thursday, England was lacking a bowler on Friday.
However, part-time off-spinner Root filled the void when, following an Alex Carey six, he forced the wicketkeeper to take an ugly swipe that went straight to England captain Ben Stokes at short cover.
When Mitchell Starc holed out to a backward square leg off Wood, Australia had a score of 185-7.
