STREWTH! YOU’LL NEED HELP
STUART BROAD believes David Warner and Steve Smith should see a psychologist before facing home fans in the Ashes.
The England bowler reckons the Australians, banned last year after admitting ball-tampering, are in for a “hostile atmosphere” when the five-Test showdown starts on August 1.
And Broad revealed he used a psychologist to get through something similar on the 2013/14 series Down Under when he was public enemy No.1.
Broad was abused all over Australia for refusing to walk during the 2013 series after he edged Ashton Agar to slip.
And he reckons Warner and Smith will be on the receiving end of some taunts from a partisan English crowd. Broad said: “I think they would be wrong to think they won’t get some hostile environments.
“Particularly at Edgbaston, Headingley and Old Trafford, which have some of the biggest atmospheres in world cricket.
“They are very experienced players, they have been around the world and played in front of some massive crowds so I don’t think that will faze them, but they will need to prepare for it.
“The last thing you want is for it to affect your performance or make you feel nervous about it.
“I look back to the 13/14 Ashes series where I copped a lot of abuse. I prepared for it over a period of time and I did certain things with the psychologist to get me used to that level.
“The only thing that made me nervous in that whole series was my mum coming on Boxing Day to the game and I was scared of some of the language she would hear, which sounds ridiculous. You have to brief your family.” He is looking forward to locking horns with the two batsmen and taking on his Notts team-mate James Pattinson, who has been beset by injuries in the past but could be part of an impressive Aussie attack.
And one that could be just as effective with the bowlerfriendly Dukes ball that has been commissioned for the summer.
“I was consulted about the ball and I was very pro the 2017 and 2018 Dukes!” added Broad. “I don’t see it as a pro-England decision though, it is a pro-Test cricket decision.
“I don’t think Australia will be kicking and screaming about it. They’ve got Mitchell Starc, Pat Cummins and James Pattinson, who is one of the best cricketers I’ve ever played with.”