Selectors must be mad
RYAN Sidebottom believes James Anderson and Stuart Broad should remain England’s first-choice fast bowlers as the former left-arm seamer admitted his bemusement at the country’s obsession with pace.
Despite being England’s leading wicket-taker in both last year’s Ashes and the Test tour of South Africa, Broad was dropped from the series opener against the West Indies as Anderson, Mark Wood and Jofra Archer were preferred.
Broad explained how he was “frustrated, angry and gutted” at being left out this week and Sidebottom understands the heartfelt reaction in the wake of Archer and Wood’s struggles in the Windies’ first innings.
Both pacemen are capable of exceeding 90mph but they took just one wicket between them at the Ageas Bowl, leading Sidebottom to question the wisdom of leaving out Broad - who has taken 48 scalps at 23.52 in the last 12 months.
Sidebottom, who played alongside Broad in a handful of Tests and England’s 2010 World Twenty20 triumph,said: “I was