Ashes 2015: 10 mind-boggling facts about Australia’s sensational collapse at Nottingham!

Prior to the start of the fourth Test of the ongoing Ashes at Trent Bridge, England skipper Alastair Cook had called his players to “etch their names in history”. Local boy Stuart Broad surely must have been pepped up by his captain’s comment as he went on to architect the Australian devastation. Not only he went on to go past the 300-wicket mark, but also registered his career-best figures of eight for 15. Australia were bowled out for 60 before lunch as the cloud of losing the Ashes looms large over them. Here are 10 mind-boggling facts about Australia’s dramatic collapse at Nottingham. [Also Read: Stuart Broad joins the ‘elite’ 300-club!]

1.  There have been only three occasions in the past when a side was dismissed before lunch —Australia (44) vs England at The Oval in August 1896, India (76) vs South Africa at Ahmedabad in April 2008 and New Zealand (45) vs South Africa at Cape Town in January 2013.

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2.  It was Chris Rogers’s first duck in what is his farewell Test series.

3.  The last time two Australian openers were out for duck was way back in 1999, against Sri Lanka in Kandy in September 1999 — Michael Slater and Greg Blewett were the victims.

4.  Broad’s first five wickets from 19 balls equalled the Test record set by Ernie Toshack (Australia) for the quickest to a five-wicket haul. Toshack achieved it against India at Brisbane in November 1947.

5.  Broad’s eight for 15 is the best figures before lunch on opening day of a Test. The previous record was Australian pacer Graham McKenzie’s six for 34 at MCG against India in December 1967, according well-known statistician Mohandas Menon.

6.  Broad’s eight for 15 is the best figures by an English bowler in Ashes since legendary Jim Laker’s 10 for 53 and nine for 37 in Old Trafford in 1956.

7.  The Nottingham-based Broad, who had picked up a hat-trick against India at Trent Bridge in 2011, registered his career-best bowling figures at the same venue on Thursday.

8.  The Australian innings lasted just 111 balls — the least number of balls in which a team got all out in the first innings of a Test. According to Bharath Seervi, the earlier record was 113 balls, also by Australia, at Lord’s in 1896.

9.  Extras top-scored the Australian innings with 14. This is only the 19th time Extras top-scored in Test history spanning almost 140 years and 2175 matches.

10.  This is second time Australia were all out for 60 – their seventh lowest score in 779 Tests.

(Suvajit Mustafi consumes cricket for lunch, fiction for dinner and munches numerous other snacks throughout the day. Yes, a jack of several trades, all Suvajit dreamt of was being India’s World Cup winning skipper but ended up being a sports writer, author, screenwriter, director, copywriter, graphic designer, sportsmarketer , strategist, entrepreneur,  philosopher and traveller. Donning so many hats, it’s cricket which gives him the ultimate high and where he finds solace. He can be followed at @RibsGully and rivu7)