Broad and Cook find form

CRICKET: England pair answer critics

Stuart Broad had to shut out a chorus of high-profile critics to summon the resilience he and centurion Alastair Cook needed to put England ahead of the game in the fourth Ashes Test.

Cook (104 not out) completed his first Ashes ton since his glorious 2010-11 campaign, just before the close on day two at the MCG, to help the tourists to 194 for two in reply to 327 all out.

Broad had earlier almost doubled his series wicket tally with four for 51 as two of England’s blue-chip performers found their form at last.

Former Ashes-winning England captain Michael Vaughan was among those who have questioned the lynchpin seamer’s place of late.

“I’ve had one of those weeks where you get your tin hat on, duck down, and don’t see much,” said Broad, after taking his career wickets column to 397.

“I’ve been unaware of what’s written, what’s been said.

“You have to go to that place as a sportsman, find something within yourself, get support from people around you, and build yourself back up.

“You can get yourself in a dark place if you read everything.”

Cook too has had his critics of late, after a run of poor form at odds with his status as national record run scorer.

“In the changing room, the celebrations when he got that hundred were huge,” said Broad.

“He went through so much stuff with his captaincy that I’m not sure a bit of stick about not getting runs is going to bother him too much.”

Australia off-spinner Nathan Lyon added: “You always know there is world class in that opposition changing room – they have absolute superstars in there – so there was going to be a time in this series that they all stand up.”

Stuart Broad: took four for 51 as Australia lost their last seven wickets for 67.