Broad happy to wait for his crack at the Aussies
THERE will be no explosions and angry interviews should Brendon McCullum wander over to Stuart Broad at edgbaston next week and tell him he will miss the start of the Ashes.
The all- new Broad, 36 but brimming with the enthusiasm of a teenager at england’s uber- positive style, will simply offer his support to those picked in his place and bide his time until it is his turn to take the attack to Australia.
‘I feel really happy with how my cricket is and how life is,’ said Broad, back at Lord’s yesterday where he took his 20th five-wicket Test haul against Ireland last week. ‘I feel fit and fresh. Whether I play at edgbaston, Lord’s, headingley or wherever, I don’t mind. I love playing Australia and I play really well at all grounds.’
It was not always like this. Broad has long been the great competitor, refusing to be written off, whether it was when former national selector ed Smith was questioning his overseas record or when Andrew Strauss was leaving him and Jimmy Anderson out of england’s tour of the Caribbean last year.
There have been memorable tantrums, including when he was dropped in Barbados in favour of Sam Curran in 2019; when he took to Sky’s ‘ diary room’ to contest his omission from the first Test against West Indies at the Ageas Bowl a year later — and when he was left out of the first Test of the last Ashes in Brisbane. Perhaps it was no coincidence england lost all three of those games.
‘I’ve definitely changed in a good way,’ said Broad. ‘There won’t be any interviews like at the Ageas Bowl. I was raging at Brisbane, too. But I’m comfortable whether I play in the first, second, third, fourth or fifth Tests this year. Just as long as I strike at some stage.’
The key is that being left out no longer feels like being dropped. ‘It doesn’t feel like a closed shop. I’m really enjoying being around this group. It’s a really addictive environment. It’s one in, all in.’
Before the series-ending injury to Jack Leach, it seemed Broad or Mark Wood would miss out in Birmingham a week on Friday, with Anderson and Ollie Robinson certain to play if fit. That may still be the case if the hosts throw in Moeen Ali, if and when he is confirmed as Leach’s replacement. But Leach’s misfortune does give them the chance to go with four seamers, leaving Joe root to do the spin bowling.
Whatever line- up england choose, it would be folly to leave out Broad, not least because of his outstanding record in the last home Ashes against David Warner. And Broad, who wound up Australia by telling Mail Sport the last Covid-affected Ashes should be void, had words for his old sparring partner. ‘ he said I was a good bloke, did you see that?’ smiled Broad yesterday.
‘I have loved every bit of our... I don’t know if it’s a rivalry but certainly a great battle, and I’ve had to work very hard to expose any chink in his armour because he’s been so dangerous. I’ve no doubt he’ll have been thinking about how to counter 2019.’
There was time for one more dig at the old enemy when Broad was asked who he would like to win today’s World Test Championship final between Australia and India. ‘I don’t want to upset any more Aussies,’ he insisted. ‘I’d just like it to be a hard-fought match where India do really well. Let’s see Cheteshwar Pujara book himself in nicely and then let’s see a great hundred for Virat Kohli.’
No Stuart, that won’t upset them...
Broad was talking at the launch of wine merchant Laithwaites’ partnership with England Cricket. Visit laithwaites.co.uk