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Broader by the day

By Will 2 years ago, at the end of June Add your comment below

I’m in danger of boring my colleagues about Stuart Broad. But it’s not my fault. This bloody cricketer keeps meeting and raising his and our own expectations every time he plays. And if you’re bored reading this, take out a voodoo doll and pretend it’s Broad. It’s all his doing.

Yesterday was a prime example. Yes, England lost – complacent, sloppy batting, in particular from Shah, Bopara and Pietersen – but Broad’s 10-over spell was the most economical by an England player in two years. And interestingly, at the press conference after the match, Paul Collingwood labelled his action metronomic. I can’t think of too many England bowlers who could’ve been likened to a metronome, an adjective that was used to describe Glenn McGrath and Shaun Pollock, but few others.

I sensed a change in the fans’ appreciation of Broad yesterday too, and perhaps in Broad himself. Returning to deep square leg after his uninterrupted spell, the applause from the crowd was one of respect – not just a father-like admiration of a young buck riding on a wave of fearlessness in his first few seasons. I think we now all realise just what a bowler England now have. He’s even overtaken James Anderson as Collingwood’s most reliable bowler – not a difficult task given Anderson’s mercurial moods, but significant nevertheless.

More on the win at Cricinfo.

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4 Responses to “Broader by the day”

  • Philip Oliver wrote:
    June 23rd, 2008 at 11.33 am

    His development is startling and it won’t be long before he has developed extra pace and variation to take wickets consistently at Test level. With his sound batting technique and fighting qualities, Broad is certainly a major player for England already.

    A note on England’s batting collapse at Bristol – all batsmen were culpable (nine players out caught tells its own story) but I would single out Bell rather than Bopara.

    Their potentially match-winning partnership seemed to be based on Bell playing anchor role and Bopara the shot-maker, yet it was Bell who perished first chasing a (very) wide to cover. Bopara should admittedly have changed his approach when Bell was dismissed.

    I hope England stick with Ravi this time, as he has the shots and mental attributes to succeed. England should use his bowling more as well – his swing makes him so much more threatening than Luke Wright.

  • Wraye wrote:
    June 25th, 2008 at 7.24 pm

    I’ve liked Broad since his Leicestershire days but I do wish he would get a haircut and stop trying to look like Draco Malfoy.

    But he only turned 22 yesterday and if they push him to develop that extra pace, will his back or ankles hold out? I have my fears …

  • don qqq wrote:
    June 27th, 2008 at 12.34 pm

    still should have stayed at leics instead of being a turncoat traitor

  • Marcus wrote:
    June 28th, 2008 at 8.25 am

    I feel the same way about Simon Katich, Don. :)

    Wraye, I have the same fears as you do- watching Merv Hughes bowl, you get the impression that nothing short of a mack truck would be required to flatten him. With Broad, it’s not so much a mack truck as a slight breeze. Nevertheless, I thnik it’s worth trying, because as much as I like Broad as a bowler, he does lack something as a Test bowler. Getting him up to 86-87 miles per hour on average would make him a lot more penetrative.

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