BUMBLE AT THE TEST

BOUNCING BACK

I WAS watching the speed gun and it was significant that Stuart Broad was consistently over 140kph (87mph) during his six-wicket haul. He will be thrilled with that and it could be very important moving forward. Broad, at 31, decided what he’d been doing wasn’t good enough. He’s got a real bounce in his step now.

TAIL END TROUBLES AGAIN ONCE again lower order runs frustrated England. Where do you put your fielders when the hitting is so unorthodox? They tried the short ball and social media was screaming out for yorkers. They tried a few and they were hit to some strange places. The thing to do is keep your nerve and aim at the stumps. GOOD INNINGS

THE 50th birthdays are coming thick and fast. First it was Atherton, then Hussain, and now Press Association’s David Clough has reached his half-century. Lovely gesture from his fellow Yorkshireman Joe Root to present him with a signed England shirt — and the skipper even made a little joke about conversion rates.

ENGLAND’S CLASS ACTS

A LOOK at the averages of bowlers with more than 100 Test wickets over the last five years shows you how good England’s big two are. At the top is Kagiso Rabada who takes his wickets at 21.58 each and next is Jimmy Anderson at 23.15. Broad is high up on the list at 26.64. They are simply class acts.

DAGG SHOWS THE WAY

ALL BLACKS are revered here. They are the absolute pinnacle of sport. We had Israel Dagg (right) as our teatime studio guest. Cracking lad. Internationals start in June but before then he’ll play for Canterbury province and the Crusaders in Super Rugby. And before that he’ll be playing for his club with his mates. That’s terrific.