Broad wants a big push to glory.

Byline: Richard Gibson

STUART Broad yesterday experienced several of the most "special" moments of his career - but he knows they will count for little if they do not end up helping England win the Ashes.

Broad took 5-37 as he and Graeme Swann (4-38) caused an unexpected Australia collapse from 73 for none to 160 all out in reply to 332 on day two of the final npower Test at the Oval.

England closed on 58-3 but still appeared in control of their destiny - with three days left to convert their advantageous position into the win needed to snatch back the urn. Broad knows England are close but dares not take anything for granted in what has been a summer of hugely fluctuating fortunes.

"It was as special as you can get as a cricketer - going down to fine-leg with everyone on their feet and clapping," he recalled, of his part in an afternoon session which ended with a teatime standing ovation after England had taken eight wickets.

"The English fans have been fantastic throughout this series. We hope we can repay them, and win the Ashes," he added. England's surge came from nowhere on an untypical Oval pitch which has called for patience from batsmen and bowlers alike.

Broad put the success down to morale and planning under Andrew Strauss' captaincy. "It was fantastic," he said. "To have come out after lunch when they're looking like 80 for none, it would have been easy to relax into the session. But to get together and fight like we did and bowl them out for 160 puts us in a great position."

Even so, he noted there was much work still to do. "Five wickets here is not important until we do what we've got to do over next two or three days," he points out. "Tomorrow is still a massive day, the biggest in this Test match.

"If we can get our heads down in that first hour, we can really put the Aussies under some pressure."

England's lead, on a pitch which has offered turn for finger spin from the outset, is already 230 - and Broad has hopes of adding another 170 or so.

"I'd take 400 off you now," he said. "The way the wicket is turning - and we've got a world-class spinner in our ranks - is very handy for us.

"There is a lot of time left, so we don't need to chase the game. If we can look to try to bat the day and someone go on and get a hundred - one thing we've not done as much as we've wanted to in this series."

Twenty-three-year-old Broad was only a teenager when England won the Ashes here in 2005, to end a generation of failure against Australia.

He recalls pacing the floor at home when Kevin Pietersen was helping Michael Vaughan's team close out the draw they needed here. "We were five down just before lunch, and I remember moping to the kitchen and thinking 'what's happened here?"' he said. "My feelings and emotions fluctuated so much throughout that day. It may turn out to be the same again for our supporters."

Broad, whose father Chris once helped England win the Ashes in Australia and whose sister is part of the current back-up team, was cheered on by another familiar face in the crowd today - his mum Carole.

"She normally gets her hat on and hides in the background so no one notices her," he explained. "But I could see her cheering on a few occasions - which was nice."

Credit to Strauss for recognising Andrew Flintoff was not, this time, the answer. Instead, Swann was Broad's perfect foil. The one specialist spinner on either side and on a wicket which was for turning. A no-brainer, you might say, but captains, including Strauss, have been known to spurn the obvious.

While Broad was following up his career-best 6-91 from England's embarrassing fourth-Test defeat at Headingley, Simon Katich (50) was the only Australia batsman to offer any resistance.

The opener admits Australia have a huge task on their hands to avoid defeat. "There is still a fair bit of work to do, but BOWLED OVER Michael Clarke, of Australia, walks back after being dismissed as Stuart Broad celebrates with team-mates, above. Left, Ricky Ponting is bowled out.

obviously we have got to keep fighting hard," he said.

"Today obviously didn't go to plan, but we have to hang in there and restrict England to as little as possible - so second time around we can make amends. The game is far from over."

Katich acknowledged there may be some qualms about the unusual Oval surface - but was content to give England due credit.

"There weren't really a lot of balls that disturbed the surface," he reported.

"The bottom line is England got the momentum - and after the initial partnership, we just couldn't string another one together. We know it's going to be tough work.

"Stuart bowled well, and his spell cracked the game right open."

With England 58-3 at the close in their second innings, leading by 230, the reality is that this Oval pitch has turned into something of a demon.

It will not get better, which means the chances are the famous little urn could once again be in the hands of an English captain before the weekend is out.

SCOREBOARD

England v Australia At: The Brit Oval Overnight: England 307-8 (I R Bell 72, A J Strauss 55; P M Siddle 4-63).

England First Innings S C J Broad c Ponting b Hilfenhaus................. 37 J M Anderson lbw b Hilfenhaus......................... 0 S J Harmison not out .................................... 12 Extras (b12 lb5 w3 nb18 pens 0)............... 38 Total ((90.5 overs)).................................. 332 Fall: 1-12 2-114 3-176 4-181 5-229 6-247 7-268 8-307 9-308 Bowling: Hilfenhaus 21.5 5 71 3; Siddle 21 6 75 4; Clark 14 5 41 0; Johnson 15 0 69 2; North 14 3 33 0; Watson 5 0 26 0; Australia First Innings S R Watson lbw b Broad ................................. 34 S M Katich c Cook b Swann............................ 50 R T Ponting b Broad ......................................... 8 M E K Hussey lbw b Broad ............................... 0 M J Clarke c Trott b Broad................................ 3 M J North lbw b Swann .................................... 8 B J Haddin b Broad .......................................... 1 M G Johnson c Prior b Swann......................... 11 P M Siddle not out ......................................... 26 S R Clark c Cook b Swann ................................ 6 B W Hilfenhaus b Flintoff .................................. 6 Extras (b1 lb5 nb1 pens 0)..........................7 Total ((52.5 overs)).................................. 160 Fall: 1-73 2-85 3-89 4-93 5-108 6-109 7-111 8-131 9-143 Bowling: Anderson 9 3 29 0; Flintoff 13.5 4 35 1; Swann 14 3 38 4; S J Harmison 4 1 15 0; Broad 12 1 37 5; England Second Innings Close A J Strauss not out ........................................ 32 A N Cook c Clarke b North ............................... 9 I R Bell c Katich b Johnson............................... 4 P D Collingwood c Katich b Johnson ................. 1 I J L Trott not out ............................................. 8 Extras (lb1 w1 nb2 pens 0).........................4 Total (3 wkts (28 overs)) ........................... 58 Fall: 1-27 2-34 3-39 To Bat: A Flintoff, M J Prior, S C J Broad, G P Swann, J M Anderson, S J Harmison.

Bowling: Hilfenhaus 5 1 9 0; Siddle 6 1 15 0; North 9 2 15 1; Johnson 4 0 12 2; Katich 4 2 6 0;