Stuart Broad silences Australia boo-boys in Ashes first test - pictures and video
They had promised to send him home in tears – but it was the Aussies who were crying into their beer today as Stuart Broad stole the show with five wickets on the opening day of the Ashes in Brisbane.
The England bowler was branded a cheat by the Australians after refusing to 'walk' at Trent Bridge in last summer's 3-0 series win despite edging the ball behind for a catch.
Australia coach Darren Lehmann called it 'blatant cheating', urging the fans to 'get stuck into him' Down Under so Broad "cries and goes home".
For the return series Aussie paper The Courier Mail has vowed not to mention the player's name, issuing a 'Broad Ban' and labelling him a 'smug Pommie cheat'.
The 27-year-old was greeted with a chorus of boos from a sold-out Gabba crowd of 42,000 today – but he did his talking with the ball, taking 5-65 to leave the Aussies struggling on 273-8 at the end of day one of the first Test.
Broad said: "There was a lot of build-up to this tour, a lot of talk. I'd prepared myself for boos and a bit of stick, but I quite enjoyed it. It certainly feels better with five wickets. The Aussies are tough fans but they respect good sport."
England made a fine start to their bid to win a fourth Ashes series for the first time since 1890 with Broad taking the star role.
He was the driving force as the hosts, who had won the toss and opted to bat, were reduced to 132-6 by mid-afternoon – before Brad Haddin (78 not out) and Mitchell Johnson (64) redressed the balance in a much-needed century stand.
Predictably booed when announced to bowl the second over after a James Anderson maiden, Broad took the first wicket of the series with just 12 runs on the board.
David Warner and Shane Watson appeared to settle home nerves with a half-century stand, only for Broad to strike again either side of lunch with the next three to fall – including the prize of home captain Michael Clarke for just a single.
Broad began his Ashes by dropping short a no-ball which Warner pulled for four, the first delivery he faced – much to the delight of the home support.
With only his seventh legitimate delivery, though, Broad struck.
On a pitch providing plenty of bounce he had Chris Rogers splicing a simple catch to gully to depart for just a single.
In the same over, Shane Watson was under way off Broad with an unconvincing poke for three just over the head of Michael Carberry at point.
Anderson had a less hectic but impressive initial spell, four overs at the cost of just seven runs before being replaced by Chris Tremlett.
Australia were set to close out the morning until Watson pushed out on the back foot at Broad and was very well-caught by a diving Graeme Swann at second slip.
Clarke fell to Broad after lunch when he gloved a short ball to short-leg.
Warner undid his good work, one short of his 50, when he mistimed an attempted back-foot force off Broad straight to cover to complete a damaging sequence of three wickets for 12 runs.
Debutant George Bailey began with an on-drive off Broad for three first ball, but failed to score for another 14 before edging the Anderson low to Alastair Cook at first slip.
Steve Smith and Haddin added 32, before the former succumbed to Tremlett.
Broad returned again, to more obligatory boos – hitting Haddin on the helmet – but Johnson brought up the 150 just before tea with a six from the crease over long on off Graeme Swann.
Australia's seventh-wicket partnership shed fresh light both on the failures of those above them, and England's potential vulnerability with the old ball in this series.
England were holding out for the second new ball and Broad did the trick with it when he swung one back to bowl Johnson.
The day ended with more English smiles when Cook took his third slip catch as Peter Siddle fell to Anderson.
