From hat-trick heroics to Ashes annihilation – Stuart Broad’s best Test displays

The Ashes

England bowler Stuart Broad has announced he will retire from Test cricket at the end of the Ashes series, bringing the curtain down on an illustrious – and at times electrifying – career.

Here, the PA news agency recalls some of Broad’s greatest displays in the longest format of the game.

Eight for 15, v Australia, Trent Bridge 2015

Cricket – Fourth Investec Ashes Test – England v Australia – Day Two – Trent Bridge
Broad (right) stunned Australia at Trent Bridge (Nick Potts/PA)

Undoubtedly Broad’s finest hour, this was perhaps among the most memorable feats in Ashes history. Bowling unchanged from the pavilion end on his home ground, Broad routed Australia almost single-handedly in the space of 57 deliveries. He had Chris Rogers caught by Alastair Cook at slip with his third ball, and doubled up when Steve Smith also fell in his first over. Broad finished with figures of 9.3-5-15-8, and Australia were blown away for 60 all out in 18.3 overs – en route to defeat by an innings and 78 runs in under three days, losing the Ashes in the process.

Hat-trick hero, 2011 and 2014

Cricket – Investec Second Test – England v Sri Lanka – Day One – Headingley
England’s Alastair Cook (right) congratulates Stuart Broad on his hat-trick at Headingley (Lynne Cameron/PA)

Broad is the only Englishman with two Test hat-tricks to his name. His first came against India, 12 years ago and again on his home ground in Nottingham. England were thoroughly dominant all summer, on their way to number one in the world under Andrew Strauss, and Broad did his bit when he had MS Dhoni flashing an attempted drive to second slip and Harbhajan Singh lbw despite an inside-edge in India’s pre-DRS days, before bowling Praveen Kumar. Broad repeated the dose three years later, this time against Sri Lanka at Headingley where the successive scalps of Kumar Sangakkara, Dinesh Chandimal and Shaminda Eranga were not enough to stop England losing the match and series.

Six for 17, v South Africa, Johannesburg 2016

This was another unstoppable Broad special. England had eked out a 10-run first-innings lead at the Wanderers, but South Africa’s openers Dean Elgar and Stiaan van Zyl appeared set to lay a decent foundation second time round – until Broad seized the moment again. In under 10 overs, he had the first five wickets. It was he too who completed the rout when he had Faf du Plessis last out, caught-and-bowled, as South Africa mustered just 83. England went on to win by seven wickets inside three days, wrapping up the series with a match to spare.

Five for 71 & six for 50, v Australia, Chester-le-Street 2013

Cricket – Fourth Investec Ashes Test – Day Two – England v Australia – Emirates Durham ICG
England’s Stuart Broad and Matt Prior celebrate taking the wicket of Australia’s Shane Watson at Durham (Anna Gowthorpe/PA)

The Ashes were again in Broad’s sights, and he once more made no mistake. His five first-innings wickets restricted Australia to a 32-run lead. In the second innings, the tourists appeared on track to halve the series deficit to 2-1 with one to play when they reached 168 for two in pursuit of 299. Broad had other ideas, though, finishing with six for 50 as Michael Clarke’s men lost their last eight wickets for 56 – and England clinched a series win.

Six for 31 & four for 36, v West Indies, Old Trafford 2020

A brilliant outing, which saw Broad seal player of the match, player of the series, take a 10-wicket match haul and become just the seventh bowler in history to claim 500 Test scalps. Broad’s name was all over this encounter, even chipping in 62 with the bat for good measure. After the match he made it clear the landmark was not a parting gift to English cricket and he has lived up to his word, going strong three years down the line.

Five for 37, v Australia, The Oval 2009

Cricket – The Ashes 2009 – npower Fifth Test – England v Australia – Day Two – The Brit Oval
Stuart Broad starred at the Oval in the 2009 Ashes clash (Gareth Copley/PA)

A young Broad’s calling card to the world game. With the Ashes on the line he elbowed aside more established names such as Andrew Flintoff and Steve Harmison to take matters into his hands. From 73 without loss, he ran a wrecking ball through the Australian batting order in a devastating session as they slipped to 160 all out. They never reclaimed the momentum and the urn came home.

Matt Prior Sir Alastair Cook Stuart Broad

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