Stuart Broad on…
Corruption It’s heart-breaking as a cricketer and as a cricket fan to read what’s alleged to have been going on. When fans pay good money to watch sport, they have a right to expect every single player involved to be 100 per cent committed. You would never imagine players would do anything to disrespect the game. But it goes on, there is no doubt about it. It has been proved in some cases. I read something Michael Vaughan wrote the other day which said players should be banned for life and, while I have to be a bit careful what I say legally, I can’t see any reason why you wouldn’t ban a player for life if they were found guilty. There are no excuses any more. We get fully educated about the risks of corruption that anyone who chooses to do it should get the book thrown at them. I’ve never been approached or heard of anyone being approached, but, clearly, it does happen. A blessing in disguise for me is that my dad works for the ICC — so if I was running a match-fixing business I wouldn’t approach me.
Not walking I’ve never been a walker. If you are going to be a walker you have to walk every single time, but people don’t. I’d struggle to think of a player I’ve played with who walked every time. Swann, maybe, but he got caught at cover 99 per cent of the time. I can’t think I played with many players who would class themselves as walkers. You’re not playing for a cheese sandwich. The reaction to me not walking at Trent Bridge did take me by surprise during the Ashes. More than 20 players didn’t walk in that series, but it didn’t seem to get highlighted in the same way. It was strange. People tried to link it to diving in football, but it’s nothing to do with that. No one I respect in cricket has abused me for it. S I’m happy.
Kevin Pietersen ‘Kev was a fantastic player for England and his runs contribut to winning a lot of games. I ho no one forgets that. But the decision has been made, with a young side coming through, a new coach and a captain who wants to make it his team, that Kev (right) is not the best for that particular environment. Look, Alex Ferguson sold Roy Keane to Celtic. These things happen in sport. Alastair Cook’s captaincy There’s no doubt Cooky took over Strauss’s team and now it time for him to make it his own He’s the right man to lead England. He’s the best batsma we’ve got, a consistent worldclass performer who is passionate about playing for England and has a good cricke
brain. Senior players let him down in Australia by not leading as they should have done. That can happen when people aren’t performing and they ‘go a bit internal’. I think it’s important for senior players to stand up and talk to the team, and support the team in terms of the direction it needs to go. Cook’s the captain, but you need four or five leaders out there. Look at the best teams in the world like the All Blacks. Bowlers and batsmen need to support him by knowing what field they want to set or what run rate they want to score at. Players need to find their own way sometimes.
His personal goals
Playing 100 Tests would be an absolute dream as a fast bowler and there’s no doubt I’ve improved with the lengths I’m hitting. I’m 27 and I’ve passed Gough, Flintoff, Caddick in Test wickets and I’m hoping I’ve got another five years minimum in which to help the England side. I’d love to beat Bob Willis because he’s always slating me!