Broad reaches milestone as England make promising start at Old Trafford

Stuart Broad joined Test cricket's exclusive 600 club as he and Chris Woakes kept England's hopes of a rousing Ashes comeback alive on day one at Emirates Old Trafford. Three years after taking his 500th wicket at the same ground, Broad completed another century of scalps to join a hall of fame that includes only four other names: Muttiah Muralitharan, Shane Warne, team-mate James Anderson and Anil Kumble.

Among fast bowlers, Anderson and Broad stand alone in the pantheon. The 37-year-old dismissed the series' top run-scorer Usman Khawaja early on and returned after tea to bounce out Travis Head as his landmark victim, overtaking Sir Ian Botham's record of 148 wickets Australian wickets in the process.

But with England in do-or-die territory at 2-1 down heading into the fourth Test, the collective mission in Manchester was even more important than any personal achievements, guaranteeing Woakes a healthy share of the spotlight. He bowled superbly all day to claim four for 52, with Australia finishing up on 299 for eight after being sent in by Ben Stokes.

Woakes picked up exactly where he left off in an excellent comeback performance at Headingley, picking off David Warner in the morning session before removing Australia's dangerous duelling all-rounders Mitchell Marsh and Cameron Green in one outstanding over in the evening. The pair were initially thought to be fighting for one place in the side but Australia surprisingly ditched their spinner Todd Murphy to find room for both.

That beefed up their middle order but Woakes swept them both aside at an important moment in the evening session, trapping Green lbw as he hunched forward in defence and then having Marsh brilliantly caught behind. England kept faith with Bairstow