Victory in cricket is hard-earned and tastes very sweet.
Just ask any bowler who has had to endure physical pain in their boots and in their joints around the ankles, knees, hips. Lower back and shoulder. Let alone the heart and lungs of a quick bowler who pounds in off a long run and exerts every ounce of effort to optimise pace and bounce from the pitch.
Stuart Broad has proved himself to be a champion fast bowler many times over for England. He knows all about the mental and physical demands of bowling a team to victory. His partnership with James Anderson is one of the great aspects of English cricket this past decade. The northern pair of fast bowlers have stood the test of time – they have excelled in all conditions time and time again.
In the last two weeks, Broad, the Nottinghamshire hero turned local publican, has proven himself once again to be the man with ‘fire in his belly’.
And, in the last two weeks, Broad, the Nottinghamshire hero turned local publican, has proven himself once again to be the man with ‘fire in his belly’ by producing all-round excellence at Old Trafford to crown his 500th test wicket with a dashing half-century too after being left out of England’s test team for the first match of the Series versus the Windies.
It takes gumption to ‘call-out’ the Selectors when one is dropped from the team. He did so in Southampton with a rare honesty from a modern-day ‘media-savvy’ professional sportsman – most of whom ‘peddle’ the corporate line and effectively say very little for fear of being regarded as ‘offside’ with their employer and teammates. But Stuart Broad is different – he seems very much his own man.
He is an articulate cricketer off the field and has become an increasingly intelligent pundit when assessing performances and matches when off-duty with England and working for broadcasters such as Sky Sports. His charm and good looks make him a natural for the role post-cricket-playing days but for now, he looks set for a few more overs and series before he takes up the role of ‘armchair critic’.
He seems more incisive as a thinker and bowler. If I was to make a comparison to another of the game’s leading wicket-takers, it would be with Sir Richard Hadlee, another Nottinghamshire legend.
The aspect of his bowling I have most enjoyed has been his productivity since changing his ‘natural’ length from back of a length with the odd full delivery to consistently bowling a fuller length with the odd short ball. He seems more incisive as a thinker and bowler. If I was to make a comparison to another of the game’s leading wicket-takers, it would be with Sir Richard Hadlee, another Nottinghamshire legend.
Sir Richard began life as a tearaway fast bowler and ended his playing days as arguably the most complete fast-medium swing and seam bowler to have ever played the game. He made every ball count. He was relentless in his accuracy and very intelligent in his bowling plans as well as being very fit to ensure he was able to bowl the volume of overs he wanted to in order to break all manner of bowling records for club, county, provincial and national sides.
A former teammate of Stuart Broad’s father Chris at Nottinghamshire in their successful teams of the 1980’s under the excellent leadership of the late, great Clive Rice, Hadlee was an awesome all-round cricketer.
I find it disappointing that Stuart’s batting has deteriorated so much since his 169 v Pakistan at Lord’s in 2010. His innings helped rescue England from 102-7 on that occasion and I sense he will be disappointed that he didn’t become the all-rounder that Sir Richard Hadlee was. But, we can’t have it all from our best bowlers. Their primary job is to take wickets and in particular, dismiss the opposition’s best batsmen.
Broad and Anderson do this brilliantly. They dovetail each so well – one from a greater height than the other, and one with pre-dominantly more swing than seam movement. They seem great friends too – a healthy rivalry exists which will spur each other on to setting new records (Anderson) and the other chasing the number of test wickets down (Broad) once Anderson retires.
They have become the Ambrose and Walsh of English cricket. They are the modern-day Statham and Trueman. Their names (Broad and Anderson) seem to go together like fish and chips, or for those who like their comedy, Morecambe and Wise..
They have become the Ambrose and Walsh of English cricket. They are the modern-day Statham and Trueman. Their names (Broad and Anderson) seem to go together like fish and chips, or for those who like their comedy, Morecambe and Wise…
Stuart is an impressive person too. His work in raising funds for charity following the early death of his father’s wife showed a kind, empathic person who remains committed to family. His father has been a big influence – genetic potential plays its’ part in s human being’s progress. He seems to have Chris’s competitiveness and intelligence as a cricketer. And, his mother Carole has played the role of quiet supportive parent in the background – always there on the boundary’s edge without getting ‘too involved’ to provide the all-important perspective and emotional stability in the growing up process as the young Stuart emerged through the Leicestershire age-group teams.
Once Nottinghamshire secured his services, and England opportunities came his way, it was obvious that Stuart Broad was a player for the big stage. 500 wickets in Test cricket vindicates this. Long may he continue to inspire England success with his cutting-edge bowling.