England making broad appeal

 

Australia v England
Ashes First Test
from 11.30pm, SKY

BROAD THE STAR: OH YES HE IS

A great start, from a punting perspective at least, to the 1st Test at the Brisbane Cricket ground.

With Australia 273/8 at stumps on what to me looked very much a batting wicket England will be hoping that they can finish them off quickly tonight and conditions remain benign.

Stuart Broad would be great in panto. He really loves the role of the baddie and while the partisan home crowd at the Gabba did their level best to put him off – he actually worked in his favour as again Broad stole the day one headlines.

Broad has been handed the role of England’s pantomime villain for this series down under ever since he chose not to walk in the first Test at Trent Bridge back in July.

Broad bagged five wickets to give England the advantage on day one of the Ashes.

Broad is the Englishman Australians currently love to and are encouraged here to hate, after his at times controversial role in last summer’s 3-0 Ashes victory, and he duly gave them five more reasons to do so.

It could have been far worse for the Aussies. The home side had been reduced to 132-6 in the middle of the afternoon before a seventh-wicket partnership of 114 between Brad Haddin and Mitchell Johnson dragged them back into the contest.

England at 13/8 still makes appeal to me.

STAR FORECAST
(stake between 0.5 and 10 points)
5 points ENGLAND at around 13/8

FLUSHING GOLD

Cleaners working on an aircraft in India have found 24 gold bars worth more than $1m (£620,000) stuffed into a toilet compartment, officials have said.

The plane, belonging to Jet Airways, was being cleaned at Kolkata airport on Tuesday after a trip from the eastern city of Patna.

It had previously been flying on international routes.

Airport director BP Mishra said the 1kg bars were found inside two bags that were left in the toilets of the plane.

An airport official added: “They have not been claimed by anyone. No arrest has been made as yet.”