I’LL GIVE ‘EM A GOOD KICKING
Broad believes ‘his time is coming’ as he works up steam for the Gabba
STUART BROAD reckons he has another one of his magical Ashes-winning spells up his sleeve to unleash on unsuspecting Aussie batsmen.
Broad is missing this week’s day/night warm-up match in Adelaide, preferring to get himself in prime form for the first Test at the Gabba by playing in next week’s fixture in Townsville.
And after finding late rhythm in Perth, he reckons he can rediscover the form that destroyed the Aussies at the Oval in 2009, at Chester-le-Street in 2013 and at Trent Bridge in 2015. “I feel like my time is coming,” said Broad.
“I know if I get wickets in the first two or three overs of a spell, the likelihood of me picking up three or four is quite high.
“I feel like I am ready for one of those spells again. I have done a lot of work over the last eight weeks and straightened my run-up a huge amount to get my seam and fingers right behind the ball for the bounce. Do what Glenn McGrath did and Josh Hazlewood does. Bashing away, bringing in both sides of the bat.
“That work will continue leading into the first Test.”
On the day England confirmed Tom Curran would replace Steven Finn – heading home with a tear in his cartilage in his left knee – Cricket Australia XI head coach Ryan Harris declared the Aussie attack better than their 5-0 winning one in 2013-14.
But unlike the demolition job done by Mitchell Johnson four years ago, Broad thinks England will need to be a little cannier with their bowlers in getting 20 wickets each Test.
They don’t have the extreme pace of a Johnson, Brett Lee or Mitchell Starc, but with Jake Ball and Craig Overton battling it out for the fourth seamer’s spot, they have got plenty of skill to go with the right attitude.
“We have to look at what we do best as a group,” he added.
“We are not going to blast the Australians out like Freddie Flintoff and Steve Harmison did in 2005.
“If you can cut off a few of their boundaries you have more chance of them making a mistake.
“I don’t want to sound as if this is a negative plan because, although it always looks great to have five slips and a gully, is that playing to our strengths on these pitches?
“We had a theory in 2015-16 in South Africa that when a new batsman came in, we would swarm them for the first 15 balls so, if they make any mistake, they are out.
“I would like to do a similar thing again.”