by Our Sports Desk

STUART BROAD destroyed Australia in a freakish first session at Trent Bridge yesterday with one of the most remarkable spells in Ashes history as the tourists collapsed to 60 all out.

Broad’s career-best eight for 15 has previously been surpassed by only Jim Laker for England in the Ashes and gave the hosts the opportunity in this fourth Test to press home a huge advantage by establishing a first-innings lead before tea on day one.

By then, England’s obvious chances of winning the match and therefore the series were reflected in odds slashed by bookmakers from a start-of-play 2/1 to 1/10.

On his home ground, Broad began the match with 299 wickets, needing just three balls to become only the fifth Englishman to reach 300 and in another nine overs took seven more to move into joint fourth in the national list alongside Fred Trueman.

Australia’s batting was hapless, albeit in cloudy conditions which had persuaded Alastair Cook to bowl first on a pitch tinged with green, as a blur of edges were all expertly held in the slip cordon.

England were batting before lunch and a session later had put Australia’s unequal struggles into fair context with 99 for three on the board.

Chris Rogers began the tourists’ manic surrender to seam-and-swing when he edged Broad, from round the wicket, to Cook at first slip.

It was the opener’s first duck in his 46th innings and when Steve Smith also departed in the first over, edging extra bounce to Joe Root at third slip, Broad was on his way to figures bettered for England against Australia by only Laker in the famous Old Trafford Test of 1956.

Australia must win here to stop England regaining the Ashes, yet they never hinted at resistance, recording their lowest total against the old enemy since 1936 and shot out in 18.3 overs, Test cricket’s shortest ever completed first innings.

As the Star went to press, England were 233-3 and lead by 173 runs.