Stuart 100 Aussie Wickets

Edgbaston – Day one of the first Ashes Test and Stuart Broad takes is 100th Australian test wicket. His 100th victim was Steve Smith (144), who was the heartbeat of the visitor’s innings.

Stuart was in the action throughout the day. By the 8th over, his precise full-length bowling had claimed the wickets of both David Warner (2) and Cameron Bancroft (8). At 17-2 the Australian decision to bat appeared to be a blunder.

Both the morning and afternoon sessions belonged to England. Stuart claiming the Australian captain Tim Paine (5) and James Pattinson (0), as his 98th and 99th victims.

Thoughts turned to Stuart achieving both “the 100” and taking his 5th wicket.

Test matches often have a sting in the tail and the 9th wicket partnership of 88 between Smith and Peter Siddle had venom. When Siddle was out, the score had moved along from 122-8 to 210-9. Now, Australia were on top.

England’s early loss of James Anderson due to a calf injury, had depleted England’s bowling as-well-as much needed guile. Nevertheless, both Chris Woakes and Stuart summoned up the energy and bowled as conditions demanded.

Stuart was rewarded when he bowled Smith, the mainstay of Australia’s innings.

History will record that Stuart took 5-86 off 22.4 overs and impressively claimed 100 Australian test wickets.

At the close of play England were 10-0 in reply to Australia’s 284 all out.

(PhoenixMedia Image Created from a Photo by Stuart Forster/Getty Images)