ROOT’S 66
Broad, 31, and Anderson, 35, put their wise old heads and years of experience at the service of their new skipper Joe
STUART BROAD reckons there is plenty more fuel in the tank as he and James Anderson try to set the tone for yet another England skipper.
The duo have been opening the bowling and taking wickets for Michael Vaughan, Kevin Pietersen, Andrew Strauss and Alastair Cook for nine years straight and now Joe Root (right) wants the same in the first Test.
And even though at 35 Anderson hasn’t got quite as long left as 31-year-old Broad, the duo have set their sights on a bumper summer and an Ashes assault in the winter.
“It’s really exciting,” said Broad. “It does feel like a new era with Joe as captain, there’s a buzz around and it is up to us to set the tone in the right way.
“I don’t know how much longer we’ll keep going together.
“That’s on Jimmy, really, because I want to keep going for a while.
“I know Jimmy’s got a huge target of winning the Ashes in Australia, and I know that he’s working extremely hard to be in top shape for that.
“He really is someone who wants to keep playing.
“I know his work ethic to get back into great shape has paid off because he looks fit and hopefully he can have a really big impact against South Africa.” Broad has certainly raised his game at crucial times for England over the years, and he is confident he is fit enough to deliver again this summer after getting over his heel injury. And even after spending 102 matches at the coalface there is no resting on laurels for Broad, who reckons the next generation of fast bowlers are forcing him to keep producing the goods. “I’ve gone from being a prospect who gets an extra game because I might be good to where I have to perform in every game,” added Broad. “I seem to thrive on that added pressure and I tend to raise my game a bit when there’s a bit more on it. I’ve been in a period in the last three or four years where I need to perform to stay in the team – and warrant staying in it.
“But I’ve been bowling probably the best of my career over that time and with some tweaks I’ve made in county cricket, hopefully I can really push on.”
Lord’s is set to be a sell-out for the first three days.
But the MCC world cricket committee have delivered a stark warning that the game faces a looming crisis from the dominance of domestic T20 leagues over Test cricket.
To perform at the highest level requires a burning ambition, strong focus and an out-of-theordinary attitude. Qualities you’ll find at Investec. Investec.com/ cricket @Investec_Sport*