Broad smiles back on English faces after sizzling bowling spell
IT looked for all the world here on the second day of the final Test that Stuart Broad was embarking on one of those irresistible rolls that invariably end with him winning a Test almost single-handedly.
It was not quite that, thanks to New Zealand resistance from BJ Watling and Colin de Grandhomme that left this second Test in the balance, but one thing is sure: the Broad England know and love is very much back.
Three wickets had fallen to Broad within the first 10 overs of New Zealand’s reply to England’s 307 and, with Jimmy Anderson also striking, a cure to their infamous travel sickness appeared to have been found.
Alas, even though Anderson followed it by claiming the all-important wicket of Kane Williamson just after lunch to leave New Zealand on 36 for five, England struggled to force home a rare advantage in this winter of Test discontent.
Instead, De Grandhomme took advantage of a soft ball and a flat pitch just as Jonny Bairstow had in the second half of England’s innings to drag his side back into the game. De Grandhomme joined forces with Watling to hold up England’s push for a big first-innings lead and then take them into a position where the outcome of a Test England really must win was uncertain after two days.
But there was to be no denying Broad. Back he came to end a record sixth-wicket stand of 142 for the hosts against England by dismissing De Grandhomme to overtake Sir Curtly Ambrose with his 406th Test wicket.
It regained a marginal advantage for England when bad light ended play with 37 balls unbowled and New Zealand, on 192 for six, still 115 behind but with Watling still there on 77. It could be a nail-biter.
This was an excellent performance from Broad and provides welcome reassurance that, at 31, he still has it in him to carry on at the forefront of the attack for some time to come.
Broad spent countless hours on his own in the Nottinghamshire indoor school during his short break after the Ashes, re-modelling his action in an attempt to iron out the flaws that had reduced his effectiveness.
He assured us ahead of this series that one of those fantastic spells, last seen in Johannesburg to defeat South Africa two years ago, was ‘coming’ and he looked much better in Auckland while joining elite company as the youngest of the 15 men who have taken 400 Test wickets. The trouble with that was the first Test was already lost by then thanks to England’s first day capitulation to 58, but now he had the chance, with a competitive score behind him, to make a meaningful impact.
Broad did just that when he sent back Tom Latham and, for the 10th time in Test cricket, his Easter bunny Ross Taylor. When Henry Nicholls became his third victim Broad drew level with the great Ambrose and there were visions of his greatest spell of them all, his eight for 15 against Australia three years ago.
Anderson, meanwhile, had tormented Jeet Raval before having him caught by Bairstow, who had earlier completed his fifth Test hundred, and England’s keeper took his third catch when Williamson was strangled down the legside.
Watling and De Grandhomme spoilt the fun but there was still encouragement for a side desperate to find a formula that will enable them to start taking 20 wickets in away Tests.
England have been crying out for extra pace all winter and now Mark Wood provided it, touching 90 miles per hour and striking Watling a nasty blow on his helmet when he had made 10.
And there was an encouraging first performance in Test cricket for the left-arm spin of Jack Leach who followed his valuable tail-end batting with some tidy bowling that, at the end of day two, had yet to bring him his first Test wicket. It was Leach who stayed with Bairstow while he moved to his century before becoming Tim Southee’s sixth victim of the Test.
Bairstow was the last to go, trying to force the pace off Trent Boult, but England could be well satisfied with the relative riches of 307 after being in serious first day trouble themselves on 94 for five.
They were still satisfied at the close of the second day with a crucial second new ball looming but it could have been so much better without one sizeable stand for New Zealand. But the bottom line is that Broad is back and that can only give England encouragement.