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Stuart Broad hasn’t really been taking wickets in Tests, but in one-day internationals he’s been increasingly incisive. Even so, 5-23 against South Africa is a Will Jefferson step for him.
He hasn’t got any more talent than he had this time last week, but hopefully this kind of domination of a top batting line-up will give him a sense of certainty in his own decisions and actions that will allow him to do the right sorts of things on flatter tracks than this.
And he should feel buoyed. Look at who his wickets were: Graeme Smith, Herschelle Gibbs, Jacques Kallis, Jean-Paul Duminy and Johan Botha. No tail-enders there and that first trio have torn so many bowlers a new one that there’s a massive ‘new one’ surplus the size of Dhaulagiri somewhere near Cape Town.
Technically Trent Bridge is Broad’s home ground, but it barely counts because he was at Leicestershire last year and has been with England most of this year. Trent Bridge is good to English bowlers full stop. Obviously this means that it isn’t hosting an Ashes Test – just like that other deliriously happy hunting ground, Old Trafford.
England vs Australia
Games Won Lost Tied Drawn
Trent Bridge 20 4 7 0 9
Old Trafford 28 7 7 0 14
Old Trafford does alright, but we’re more successful at Edgbaston and The Oval.
Sofia Gardens, well I guess no-one knows how that will pan out.
That’s a long time, Suave.
England have won four out of their last six Tests at Trent Bridge and five out of six at Old Trafford (plus one draw – which they were one wicket away from winning).
Will Jefferson has been playing for the Notts 2nd XI this season, so I really hope Broad isn’t taking a Will Jefferson step!
One of the joys of facebook is my friendship with the Broadettes who have greeted their hero’s triumph with a veritable mountain of !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!. My favourite remark so far under a pic of him rejoicing at the fivefer is “OMG he is so hot and caring lOOOLZ”
Aren’t most of them old enough to be his mum, Ceci?
He’s visibly caring?
Brilliant.
come now, do you forget that we english have to be super sporting? even when faced with a team that has rogered us so emphatically for so very long, we would not think to give ourselves an advantage from the outset. such as preparing wickets to suit our own bowlers rather than the opposition, or indeed playing at favorable grounds…. it just wouldn’t be cricket! plus we wouldn’t have any excuses left for when we lost. hey did you know that broad fellow, as well as being apparently handy with a ball….. was also once considered a batsmen! i think it may possibly have been mentioned once or twice before.
Don’t care. He left Leicestershire so I don’t like him any more. Turncoat barsteward.
I suppose that at least if he plays for England regularly he’ll never turn out for Notts and their poaching him will turn out to be pointless.
/sulk
Broad’s not South African enough to play for Leics, anyway.
Maybe he didn’t think Leicestershire were forward-thinking enough for him.
Earlier this year a senior Leicestershire figure said to us: “Pro40’s the future. I think it’s going to be massive.”