Broad, Root and Stokes reduce the Aussies to Ashes and Arsenal are Hammered

CRICKET – Last weekend England (391-9 declared) regained the Ashes in style by thumping Australia (60 and 253) by an innings and 78 runs in the fourth Test at Trent Bridge. 

Stuart Broad (8-15), the world’s top batsman Joe Root (130) and then Ben Stokes (6-36) pulverised the Aussies who were bowled out in their first innings before lunch on the opening day, in 18.3 overs in 95 minutes – the second shortest Test innings of all-time with extras top-scoring! Three of their first four batsmen got ducks and it was the first time both openers had been dismissed for nought since 1950. In fact, Broad’s magical bowling saw him snap up more wickets before lunch on day one than any other bowler and the first since Sidney Barnes for England v South Africa in 1913, to take five (he eventually got eight). 

Broad also captured his 300^th Test wicket and has now passed Fred Trueman’s tally of 307. Only Jimmy Anderson, Ian Botham and Bob Willis are ahead of him in England’s history. This victory at Nottingham came 599 days after England had suffered a 5-0 white-wash down under. And the game itself was over in two days, 40 minutes – one of the shortest Test matches ever.

Comments/remarks after the first day’s play of the fourth Test…

• Ex-England captain Michael Vaughan’s advert: ‘11 Australian bats for sale – hardly used.’
• Aussie skipper Michael Clarke, on what to do if he won the toss: ‘Shall we bat or bowl?’ Answer: ‘Do both!’
• Sydney Herald – ‘It’s Pomicide’
• Brisbane Courier Mail: ‘Ashes to Crashes’

The final Test starts at The Oval on Thursday August 20.

FOOTBALL – At the start of the new PL season, there were wins for Aston Villa (1-0 at newcomers Bournemouth), Crystal Palace (3-1 at Norwich), Leicester (4-2 v Sunderland), Liverpool (a 1-0 redemption victory at Stoke where they lost 6-1 last season), Manchester United (1-0 v Spurs) and West Ham (surprisingly by 2-0 at Arsenal). The games between ten-man and reigning champions Chelsea and Swansea, Everton and Watford and Newcastle and Southampton ended in 2-2 draws. WBA were beaten 0-3 by Manchester City on Monday.

In the Championship, Birmingham, Brighton, Charlton, Hull, MK Dons, Sheffield Wednesday and Wolves all got off to winning starts, likewise Burton, Chesterfield, Coventry, Gillingham, Millwall, Rochdale and Swindon in FL1 and Cambridge, Exeter, Hartlepool, Leyton Orient, Northampton, Notts County, Plymouth, Portsmouth and Wycombe in FL 2.

The top PL matches over the next weekend are Villa-Manchester United (Friday), Manchester City-Chelsea (Sunday) and Liverpool-Bournemouth (Monday)… all live on various TV channels.

*Managers Jose Mourinho has signed a new four-year contract with Chelsea and Manuel Pellegrini an extended two-year one with Manchester City.

SWIMMING/DIVING – In the world championships in Russia, GB’s Adam Peaty became the first man to complete the 50m and 100m breast-stroke double; he also won gold in the individual medley.

GB’s 4x200m men’s relay team beat the favourites USA to win gold.

American Ryan Lochte set a new record by becoming the first man to win four successive individual medley gold medals. Lochte has now won 21 golds – only Michael Phelps (33) has more.

Bahrain’s Alzain Tareq became the youngest-ever swimmer to compete at this level; she was 10 years of age when entering the women’s 50m butterfly event.

And GB collected a record nine medals at the Championships (five gold, one silver, three bronze).

MOTOGP – It was Marc Marquez, Jorge Lorenzo and Valentino Rossi 1-2-3 in last week’s Indianapolis Grand Prix. Rossi (195 pts) leads the driver’s championship ahead of Lorenzo (186) and Marquez (139).

RUGBY UNION – For the first time ever Argentina have beaten South Africa in a Championship game! The Pumas won 35-27 in Durban last weekend.

HORSE RACING – Last Saturday, a trio of female jockeys – Emma-Jayne Wilson, Sammy Jo Bell and Hayley Turner – won three of the six races against their male counterparts to claim the Shergar Cup at Ascot. Bell, with a 55-1 double, collected the Alistair Haggis Silver Saddle for top rider. This annual event was first run in 1999. 

DIARY of EVENTS

• The USA PGA golf tournament starts on Thursday at Whistling Straits, Wisconsin and world number one Rory McIlroy will be there, along with Shane Lowry, winner of last week’s Bridgetown Invitational in Ohio.
• The European Equestrian Championships continue in Aachen, Germany.
• The first women’s Ashes cricket Test is taking place at Canterbury, Kent.
• England are going well in the world netball championships in Australia, which end on Saturday.
• And next week we have the sprint canoeing world championships in Milan, Italy.

DID YOU KNOW?

Manchester United manager Matt Busby signed Tommy Taylor from Barnsley in 1953 for £29,999. He gave the other £1 to the tea-lady as he did not want Taylor to become the first £30,000 footballer.

AFTERNOON QUIZ 

Don’t forget Thursday afternoon’s general knowledge charity quiz at Ali’s Bar, Turre (Almeria) at 4pm – 50 questions; €2 per person; good fun; be there.