BROAD PUTS BEST FOOT FORWARD IN ROOT’S NEW ERA

STUART BROAD insists the most scrutinised left heel in English cricket can stand up to the demands of a punishing period of 12 Tests in six months that begins for England against South Africa tomorrow. Despite feeling stiffness in his lower back which restricted his fielding practice, Broad declared himself fully fit for the belated start to the Test summer. There he will take his place alongside Jimmy Anderson to provide crucial experience at Lord’s in Joe Root’s first Test in charge. ‘It felt good at the weekend,’ he said after a rejuvenating spell with Nottinghamshire in county cricket. ‘I got through nine overs pretty comfortably. I’ve got gel pads in my heels — my friend in the crowd at Lord’s said he saw me limping but it’s just different walking on little pads — and touch wood I’ve had no pain. ‘The idea is that you tape the fat pad together so it gives you more shock absorbing when you’re padding it down. ‘At the moment it feels fine to declare myself fit.’ How England need the big two of Broad and Anderson, who is returning from shoulder and groin problems of his own, to stay standing throughout a spell which takes in series against South Africa and West Indies before the Ashes. How long can the pair carry on? ‘That’s down to Jimmy because I want to keep going for a while yet!’ said Broad. ‘It’s dangerous to look too far ahead but I know Jimmy has a huge target of winning the Ashes again in Australia.’ It will be fascinating to see how Root handles the strongwilled pair, who look set to join Mark Wood and Ben Stokes in a four-pronged pace attack. ‘I don’t think Joe’s going to be one of those captains who stands up in the dressing room and talks all the time. I don’t think that’s him but he’ll lead in the way he plays his cricket. ‘Michael Vaughan as captain was very much “you set your own fields, which route you want to go down”. Andrew Strauss was a little bit more “I’ll set the field” while Alastair Cook was very happy with bowlers taking responsibility. ‘I like to set my own field and I think Joe will probably go down that route as well.’ ÷ THE influential MCC World Cricket Committee yesterday backed cricket’s attempt to gain Olympic inclusion in 2024 but urged the sport to seek a fairer redistribution of wealth in order to protect the international game.