Bayliss broadside backed by Broad
TO go from humbling defeat at Lord’s to comprehensive victory at Old Trafford in little over a week was quite the turnaround for England — and Stuart Broad has revealed that it was a player-led summit before the second Test that made the difference. Trevor Bayliss’s side lost by 75 runs inside four days in the first Test against Pakistan — the genius of leg-spinner Yasir Shah doing most of the damage — but followed up by administering a 330-run demolition in the second. Having handed out some predictably severe criticism after the Lord’s defeat, Bayliss then encouraged his players to come up with their own solutions to their slow start to the series, and Broad has lauded the impact of the Australian’s methods. ‘There were some harsh words after Lord’s because we were very disappointed in how we performed,’ said Broad. ‘Trevor is not shy about letting people know that you can be under pressure from time to time. But on the Wednesday at Old Trafford he said: “Bowlers go to this corner, batsmen go to that corner and discuss how we’re going to move forward this week, how we’re going to play Yasir, how we’re going to play the reverse swing, and report back to me in 10 minutes”. ‘Then a bowler spoke to the team about how we’re going to try to bowl a bit wider or a bit fuller, keep the slips in longer because of the bounce. And the batsmen said they were going to play Yasir straighter, not try to cut him from a full-length ball. ‘As soon as these words are said to a team, the players sharpen up a bit because you’re responsible for something. In the changing room (after a mistake) the lads say: “What have we just said?!”. ‘This week I imagine Chris Woakes will be very influential on field placings for Edgbaston.’
Broad is an Investec Test Cricket ambassador. For more on Investec private banking visit investec.co.uk/banking