Ashes 2023: Stuart Broad scripts history, become first bowler to scalp 150 wickets vs Australia

England’s Stuart Broad has scripted history against Australia on Day 2 of the final Ashes Test as the hosts gained control of the contest. Playing in his 167th Test match, Broad became the first bowler to scalp 150 wickets against Australia in the Test format on Friday, July 28. He had previously broken the record of Ian Botham to become the highest-wicket taker against Australia. Broad has a big responsibility in hand to ensure England win the Oval Test and level the series as they haven’t lost the Ashes at home since 2001.

Broad’s stellar achievement

On the fifth ball of the 52nd over, Broad got the better of Aussie talisman Usman Khawaja on 47 as England rallied back into the contest. The wicket was his 150th against Australia in the red-ball format has seen him sit top of the pile for most wickets against the Aussies. They are the only opposition against whom he has scalped more than 100 wickets. New Zealand are his second-favourite opposition with 94 wickets.

South Africa come next with 89 wickets followed by India (74) and West Indies (73). The veteran star also reached the landmark of 600 wickets in the Manchester Test and became just the fifth bowler to do so.

In the same match, he also went past Ian Botham for most Test wickets against Australia when he leapfrogged his tally of 148 wickets. He currently leads the chart with 151 wickets from 40 matches.

Most Wickets against Australia

Stuart Broad – 151 wickets

Ian Botham – 148 wickets

Courtney Walsh – 135 wickets

Richard Hadlee – 133 wickets

Curtly Ambrose – 128 wickets

Bob Willis – 128 wickets

What has happened so far in the contest?

At the time of writing on Day 2, Australia were 187/7 and still trailed England by 96 runs. The Aussies had lost David Warner in the final session of Day 1 while they suffered a titanic collapse on Day 2 of the contest.

England on Day 1 were bowled out for 283 as Mitchell Starc grabbed hold of four wickets while Josh Hazlewood and Todd Murphy got a couple.

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