Broad: I fell down stairs but will be fit for Ashes
STUART BROAD is adamant the tumble he took down the stairs in the Lord’s pavilion during the final Test will not harm his Ashes preparations.
Broad aggravated an old heel injury in a freak accident as he came out after lunch on the first day against West Indies. But even though he had a scan yesterday, he is relaxed about the problem.
‘ It was ridiculous,’ said Broad yesterday when cricket went to Downing Street as part of a Chance to Shine promotion. ‘I was just walking out with my spikes on and my back spike just slipped down a stair and I fell down it.
‘I said to Jimmy Anderson, “I think I’ve hurt my ankle there”. Then it throbbed throughout the afternoon. There are no worries.
‘If there was a Test next week I’d be fit to play.’
Broad is unlikely to play for the rest of the season to protect his body before England leave for Australia on October 28.
He gained practice for the heat of the Ashes battle by indulging in a heated verbal exchange with West Indies substitute fielder Raymon Reifer before his first-innings 38 that gave England a lead.
‘Their 12th man sledged me when I walked out to bat and that just got me in a fight with everyone,’ said Broad. ‘It helped me get some runs, because I seem to thrive on the extra spice. I think it was a deliberate ploy to sledge me and I thanked him for it after the game.
‘I took offence at the fact that he wasn’t even playing.’ Chance to Shine is giving millions of young people the opportunity to play and learn through cricket. Donate at chancetoshine.org