BROAD APPEAL
Joy for Mr Popularity as Windies are tamed
RARELY can a bowler have celebrated a wicket that had not yet even been given quite so spectacularly as Stuart Broad, right fist pumping wildly, when he trapped Roston Chase palpably lbw yesterday. But then no one has mastered the ‘celebrappeal’ quite like Broad.
Certainly, there was little doubt Richard Kettleborough would raise his finger when Broad eventually turned round to face him as even Chase himself appeared to start to walk before the umpire confirmed his fate.
It was the moment England’s superiority over West Indies in this deciding Test had been emphatically underlined and the moment the junior member of their reunited old bowling firm had again shown that any reports of his demise had been greatly exaggerated.
It was the lack of a proper appeal, though, that may have attracted the attention of the match referee were it not for the fact that the official in question, Broad’s father Chris, may have been resisting the urge to pump his own fist in celebration behind his desk.
What a comeback Broad has made since he was left fuming about being left out of a first Test England lost without him. And what rude health his long-standing partnership with Jimmy Anderson still appears to be in despite all efforts to separate them.
The pair of old warriors took four wickets between them on the second day of this third Test to leave West Indies down but not yet quite out on 137 for six, still 232 behind, to end any doubts about their enduring effectiveness, at least in English conditions.
We are still, as Joe Root said about
Ben Stokes after the second Test, in the presence of greatness, with Broad and Anderson bowling as well as ever and West Indies struggling to cope yesterday with their movement, control and supreme skill.
There was a reward, too, for Jofra Archer, making an impressive return after his absence from the second Test and its difficult aftermath, with the wicket of John Campbell to an absolute brute of a ball and for Chris Woakes in flattening Jermaine Blackwood’s stumps.
But the day belonged to Broad, dismissing Kraigg Brathwaite in his first over before returning to claim Chase, and Anderson who sent back Shai Hope and Shamarh Brooks after switching to the end at Old Trafford that bears his name.
It was, who else, but Broad who had earlier turned the complexion of this second day and the Test to decide the last ever Wisden Trophy with the bat as he produced a display of clean hitting that appeared to have been consigned to his history.
How it was needed, too, after West Indies had made such a brilliant start, Kemar Roach and Shannon Gabriel forgetting about the fatigue suffered while playing in three back-to-back Tests to take four England wickets between them in 22 balls.
England began the day targeting another score of 400 plus and expecting a first home Test century for Ollie Pope and a much needed second hundred at this level for Jos Buttler. But both were quickly blown away.
Pope had been reprieved when
Rahkeem Cornwall spilled a straightforward slip chance but he could not take advantage, being comprehensively bowled by the next ball he received from the rejuvenated Gabriel without adding to his overnight 91.
Then Roach became only the ninth West Indian and the first since Curtly Ambrose 26 years ago to reach 200 Test wickets when he bowled Woakes, promoted to No7 in this bowler-heavy England line-up.
Roach started off as an out-andout fast bowler but now relies as much on guile as pace.
When Buttler and Archer fell to sharp low slip catches from Jason Holder, England had collapsed from their overnight 258 for four to 280 for eight, but they were to be rescued by the most unlikely batting figure.
It was here at Old Trafford six years ago that Broad was struck such a nasty blow in the face by India’s Varun Aaron that he later admitted to having nightmares about it. His batting has never really recovered.
In truth, a man who looked like becoming a genuine all-rounder when he made a big century in the tainted Test against Pakistan in 2010 at Lord’s had already gone into batting decline and the damage inflicted by Aaron merely accelerated the process.
Since then, Broad has had rare moments in the sun with the bat but nothing like yesterday when his hitting was so spectacular he reached 50 off just 33 balls, equalling the third-fastest Test half century in England’s history.
It started when Broad backed away to leg and slogged Roach for six towards where the giant party stand that is usually here would have loudly acclaimed the strike in happier times. But there was plenty of orthodox hitting too, as Broad struck nine fours in his 62.
Thanks to Broad, England had been catapulted somewhere close on 369 all out to where they would have hoped to have been when they started the day.
And it was soon proved to be comfortable enough. West Indies were on the ropes by the time of another frustratingly premature close because of bad light while the floodlights shone down and it will take a prolonged deluge of Manchester rain over the next three days now to save them and keep Broad and Anderson at bay.