Stuart Broad’s reign of terror over Australia is almost over, after the veteran seamer made the shock announcement that he will retire after the fifth Ashes Test.

Broad confirmed after play on Saturday that the current Test at The Oval would be his last, bringing down one of the most distinguished careers in the English game.

The 37-year-old will finish as England’s second-leading wicket-taker of all time, after last week becoming only the fifth man in history to surpass the 600-mark in Test cricket.

Broad said he had made the decision late on Friday evening, calling captain Ben Stokes into his hotel room to inform him of the decision.

Broad’s 151 wickets against Australia is the second-most in Test cricket, while his number of Ashes scalps is topped only by Shane Warne (195) and Glenn McGrath (157).

Included in those are 17 dismissals of David Warner, with his record over the Australian opener the equal-third best in Test history.

Broad also dismissed former captains Steve Smith and Michael Clarke 11 times, and is arguably the biggest reason Australia have not won a series in England since 2001.

“There is something in my family history with Ashes cricket,” Broad said.

“I grew up besotted by it. My influential years as a as a kid playing cricket, we weren’t winning many Ashes Tests and I think that grew my hunger and desire.

“Ultimately, I think the competitiveness of what Australia bring to cricket brings out the best in me, I love that eye-to-eye battle. I love the energy the crowd brings.

“I know my emotions have to be sky-high for me to be a good bowler. And my competitive spirit has to be sky high for me to be a good bowler.

“I can promise you every time I have run in against Australia they have been there.”

Broad can inspire England to one final win over Australia at The Oval to level the series at 2-2, after he and James Anderson took them to stumps with a 377-run lead on Saturday with one wicket in hand.

The right-armer first made an impact against Australia in 2009, taking 6-91 at Headingley in the fourth Test and then 5-37 at The Oval to win the series for England.

“That was when I felt like I belonged on the international stage,” Broad said.

“The first time I’d really bowled a spell that changed a game and got important wickets.”

Broad’s 8-15 at Trent Bridge in 2015 will also live long in Australia’s memory, killing off Australia’s hopes on that tour and providing the highlight of an international career that has featured 845 wickets.

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Broad said he was grateful James Anderson was not going out in unison with him, despite question marks over the England seamer’s future with his 41st birthday on Sunday.

“It never felt quite right for the two of us to go together. I think we needed some sort of crossover,” Broad said.

“It’s nice that there’ll be sort of one half of that partnership still within the changing room.”

The announcement, just hours after the decision

“Tomorrow or Monday will be my last game of cricket,” the 37-year-old Broad announced on Sky Sports after the fourth day’s play of the final Ashes Test on Saturday.

“I’m loving cricket as much as I ever have and it’s been such a wonderful series to be a part of. I’ve always wanted to finish at the top and this series just feels like it’s been the most enjoyable and entertaining I’ve been involved with.”

“I’ve been thinking about it for a couple of weeks but England-Australia has always been the pinnacle for me. I’ve loved the battles with Australia. I’ve got a love affair with Ashes cricket and I wanted my last bat and bowl to be in Ashes cricket.

“I told Stokesy (England captain Ben Stokes) last night and told the changing room this morning. It just felt like the right time. I didn’t want friends and Notts teammates and staff to see things that might come out, so I preferred to just say it and give it a good crack for the last Australia innings.

“I was a little bit emotional (about announcing the news) – I thought a lot about it.

“Even until last night, I was a little bit unsure but once I went to Stokesy’s room and told him, I felt really happy ever since.

“I’ve been content with everything I’ve achieved in the game. Ultimately, the decision came down to I knew I wanted to leave the game loving cricket.

“I look around and it feels like my changing room and I wanted to walk away playing with a group of players I love to bits.”

Bazball assault leaves Australia in trouble

Australia face a monumental task to claim a drought-breaking Ashes series win iafter another prolonged Bazball assault on day three of the final Test at The Oval.

England went to stumps on Saturday night at 9-389 and with a lead of 377, after Joe Root, Zak Crawley and Jonny Bairstow all cashed in on one of the most one-sided days of the series.

It means Australia will need to pull off the highest successful fourth-innings chase at The Oval to win the match, with that landmark of 263 having been set 121 years ago in the 1902 series.

Australia have already retained the Ashes with a 2-1 series lead, but they need a win or draw at The Oval to take their first Test series victory in England since 2001.

Some rain is forecast for London late on Sunday and Monday, but the rate at which England have scored means a result is likely.

The hosts will firmly believe after Saturday they have been the far better side in this series, with the reality being their own brain implosions hurt them in the first two Tests and the rain saved Australia in Manchester.

Most concerning for Australia will be the way they have bowled in the final two Tests.

Mitchell Starc started poorly on Saturday with 0-22 off his first two overs before recovering to 4-94, while Todd Murphy also claimed 3-110.

But after bowling too full and straight to Crawley in his 191 at Old Trafford as England amassed 592 in their only innings, the tourists repeated the same mistakes early on Saturday.

The tone was set from the first over when Crawley crunched Starc’s first ball through the covers, before Ben Duckett (42) twice hit the left-armer through the legside.

With that, Australia’s first-innings lead of 12 was gone and England were on the front foot.

The hosts reached 0-40 by the end of the fifth over, and kept a scoring rate of five-an-over going for most the day.

Australia were only briefly in the game after lunch when England fell to 4-222.

Pat Cummins had Crawley edging for 73, Todd Murphy removed Ben Stokes on 42 and Josh Hazlewood got Harry Brook for seven.

But Root and Bairstow soon slammed Australia’s opening shut.
The pair put on 110 for the fifth wicket, with Root settling in after surviving an lbw review off Hazlewood on four.

England’s premier batter hooked Cummins with ease, scooped Mitch Marsh for six and brought up his 50 off 41 balls to take the game completely away from Australia.

He was eventually bowled by a ball that spun and stayed low from Murphy on 91, before Bairstow was caught behind off Starc for 78 late in the day.

James Anderson and Stuart Broad then batted England to the close, but it will only be a matter of time until they are attempting to level the series at 2-2 with the ball on Sunday.

— AAP