Broad: I'm ready to have an impact on England winning games again

By Sports Desk May 31, 2022

Stuart Broad insists he is ready to "have an impact on England winning games again" as he eyes a return to the Test side against New Zealand.

England host New Zealand in a three-Test series, starting at Lord's on Thursday, as new Test coach Brendon McCullum welcomes his home country in his first game in charge.

McCullum has already hinted Broad and James Anderson, who have 1,117 Test wickets between them, could feature together after the pair's surprise omission from the West Indies tour in March.

Broad is reportedly contending with Craig Overton for the final spot in the England XI, with the hosts widely expected to select spinner Jack Leach and the seaming duo of Anderson and Matthew Potts.

Nottinghamshire bowler Broad, though, says he will give he is all should he return for England in the first Test.

Asked whether he feared for his future in the red-ball team, Broad responded on Tuesday: "No, not at all. I still felt like I had a lot to offer to the team.

"As a professional sportsperson, if you don't believe you're one of the best bowlers in the country then you're stuffed, aren't you? My mindset was still that I was in the best bowling group, particularly in England.

"Missing out on the West Indies was disappointing. But my approach was to take March off, chill out, and get really fresh, buzzing to play and come back with Notts ready to strike at the right time.

"I've actually done a lot of work with Chris Marshall, the Notts psychologist, on my mindset, because I think that's the most important thing for me going forward.

"Rather than going through the summer and thinking, 'I really want to make sure I'm fit for that second Test of the South Africa series', life doesn't work like that.

"It's very much a case of be grateful for what I've got this week, give my heart and soul for this week, and then if I'm a bit stiff and sore next week or don't play, they want to give a new bowler some experience, then great.

"Give everything to this week, train hard and, if I get in the team, everything will be left on that field.

"I said to Jimmy, whether we get 0-100 or 5-30, the performance doesn't matter right now, it's all about us giving everything to the England shirt and the environment.

"We're good enough that the results will look after themselves in the long run anyway. I feel like I'm bowling well and I'm ready to have an impact on England winning games again."

Related items

  • Hazlewood moves top of ICC's ODI bowling rankings ahead of Boult and Siraj Hazlewood moves top of ICC's ODI bowling rankings ahead of Boult and Siraj

    Australia's Josh Hazlewood has moved to the top of the ICC's ODI bowler rankings for the first time in his career after Mohammed Siraj slipped to third. 

    Siraj conceded 37 runs off just three overs in India's 10-wicket loss to Australia on Sunday, which caused the paceman to slump behind Hazlewood and New Zealand's Trent Boult.

    Mitchell Stark took 5-53 in that rout, equalling the record number of five-wicket ODI hauls by an Australian bowler.

    Hazlewood's rise to the top of the rankings comes despite the 32-year-old having not played in an ODI since November, while his last appearance in any format came in January.

    However, he is expected to be back playing for this year's Ashes series in England, which commences on June 16 at Edgbaston.

    Meanwhile, Kane Williamson has moved up four spots to second in the Test batting rankings behind Marnus Labuschagne. 

    Williamson scored a remarkable 215 runs in New Zealand's victory over Sri Lanka in their two-match series, which the Black Caps won 2-0.

  • New Zealand rushed Robertson appointment, says Hansen New Zealand rushed Robertson appointment, says Hansen

    New Zealand would have been better off biding their time before announcing Ian Foster's replacement, according to former head coach Steve Hansen.

    The All Blacks confirmed on Tuesday that Crusaders coach Scott Robertson will succeed Foster after this year's Rugby World Cup in France.

    Robertson, who lost out to Foster on the position when Hansen stood down four years ago, has been handed a deal that will run through until after the next World Cup in 2027.

    Foster revealed earlier this month he would not be reapplying for the job when his contract expires in November. 

    The 57-year-old questioned New Zealand Rugby (NZR)'s decision to find his successor while their tournament preparations are in full swing.

    NZR said "significant competition for elite coaching talent" forced them to act now, but Hansen believes that decision may backfire.

    "I think they got burned last time so they were worried about that," he told The Platform podcast. "What they didn't take into account was everybody had their coaching sorted.

    "In my opinion, they would have been better to wait, but in their opinion they wanted to push the button and they've done that.

    "They're in charge of New Zealand Rugby, so it's them that die and fall on these decisions.

    "Just like coaches there's got to be repercussions if it doesn't work. If it does work, well they've been super."

    Robertson played 23 Tests for New Zealand and has been praised for his work since moving into coaching, having won six successive Super Rugby titles with Crusaders.

    That made Robertson an obvious contender to take over as the All Blacks' next head coach, but Hansen questioned NZR's handling of the situation.

    "It doesn't come as a surprise because he's been offered the job. [Foster] fought back and maintained it [last year]. He was obviously the prime candidate," Hansen said.

    "I don't know who else applied and they're not telling us, so I think [NZR's] leading us in the dark whether there was more than one candidate or not."

    New Zealand, who are third in the rankings, begin their Rugby World Cup campaign against hosts France before facing Namibia, Italy and Uruguay.

  • Ex-All Blacks coach Hansen fires 'chokers' warning to Ireland ahead of World Cup Ex-All Blacks coach Hansen fires 'chokers' warning to Ireland ahead of World Cup

    Former New Zealand coach Steve Hansen warned in-form Ireland they still have a huge point to prove at the Rugby World Cup this year.

    Andy Farrell's side completed a Grand Slam against England on Saturday, sealing a Six Nations crown and reaffirming their place as the world's number one team.

    But with France 2023 looming in just under half-a-year, they will have to overcome their own history, having never progressed beyond the quarter-final stage.

    Hansen, who knocked Ireland out in the last eight with the All Blacks four years ago in Japan, feels they must defy their own tournament reputation to triumph.

    "They are going well, [are] ranked number one in the world, and they have had a great year so far," he said.

    "Every time a team is number one in the world, you have got to consider them to be a World Cup contender. But it is a tough tournament to win.

    "They have seemed to struggle a little bit at World Cups. If it was the All Blacks, they would probably be called chokers. They have come a long way, they believe in themselves. They are a very good side.

    "So they are definitely a contender. But they will have to overcome the pressure of not having gone past the quarter-finals before, and there will be a lot of pressure involved in that.

    "If they get through to the semi-finals, then they are in new territory. That is something they will have to deal with that they've never dealt with before, and it is always hard to deal with something you haven't dealt with before."

    Ireland open their campaign against Romania on September 9, before they face Tonga, Scotland and reigning champions South Africa.

© 2023 SportsMaxTV All Rights Reserved.