Watch: Stuart Broad’s magic bails trick struck once more in the final throngs of the fifth Ashes Test at the Kia Oval, as he made the crucial ninth-wicket breakthrough with a beautiful delivery to take Todd Murphy’s outside edge.
England had decimated Australia’s middle order after the rain-delay. Moeen Ali and Chris Woakes took two wickets apiece as Australia lost four wickets in three overs, reducing Australia to 275-7. Pat Cummins was the eighth wicket to fall, also to Moeen, with Australia till needing 100 runs to win. That brought Murphy to the crease, who had looked more than proficient with the bat in the first innings.
He looked dangerous again as the runs required ticked down to 54. Broad had bowled exquisitely, both in the morning session and in the evening, beating the bat on multiple occasions but without a wicket. Desperate to change his luck, Broad tried the trick that had worked with Marnus Labuschagne in the first innings. Having beaten Murphy twice in consecutive balls, he went down to the striker’s stumps and switched the bails around.
As he walked back to his mark, the crowd rose to cheer him on. The very next ball he sent down was far too good. Angled in a nipping away, it took Murphy’s outside edge and flew straight through to Jonny Bairstow. Broad ran away with his arms outstretched in celebration as his teammates chased after him.
If ever anyone was going to make the breakthrough England desperately needed with a bit of magic, in his last-ever Test match it was always going to be Broad.
Watch: Stuart Broad changes bails over before taking ninth Australia wicket below
I guess swopping the bails trick works #ENGvsAUS #Ashes #Broad #Cricket pic.twitter.com/s2HC6nxZAB
— Paul Adams (@PaulAdams39) July 31, 2023
