Stuart Broad is gearing up to “go to battle” with long-time adversary David Warner in this summer’s Ashes, admitting he cannot kick his addiction to Test cricket.
Broad and Warner have faced off against each in 26 Tests dating back to 2013, with the Englishman dismissing the Australian 14 times – more than any other bowler on the planet.
Exactly half of those wickets came in the 2019 Ashes, when Broad swarmed the left-hander and removed him seven times in 10 innings as he averaged a miserable 9.5.
Broad also had the last laugh in their most recent head-to-head, condemning Warner to a duck in Hobart in a game that ended with both men pondering the end of their shared story.
They discussed the possibility over a post-series drink at the Bellerive Oval, but 18 months on they are set to slug it out again in the first Test at Edgbaston on June 16.
“I’m obviously looking forward to going to battle with Davey again. We’ve had incredible battles,” said Broad.
“I’m really looking forward to stepping on the field against him. I must admit, at the end of Hobart last time, we shared a glass of red and didn’t know if we would play against each other again. Hopefully we can.
“He had the better of me for quite a long period, got a hundred at Brisbane and at the WACA (in 2013) and, ultimately, the biggest praise I can give Davey is the fact I had to completely study him and change my style of bowling because of the success he had against me.
“He’s been a great competitor, someone I’ve really enjoyed playing against. He’s fiery, ferociously competitive, and those sorts of characters bring out the best in me as well.”
Broad readily admits the thrill of tussling with the best players the world has to offer is a habit he cannot kick, even after 161 caps and nearly 14 years at the highest level.
He accepts he is into the final chapter of his career, but while recent injury scares mean James Anderson and Ollie Robinson are both likely to be wrapped in cotton wool for next week’s Test against Ireland, Broad has made it clear he wants to lead the attack and has been invigorated by the leadership of coach Brendon McCullum and captain Ben Stokes.
“What do they call it, the twilight? It’s sort of the arse end of your career, isn’t it? But I’ve still got a great hunger,” he said.
“Ultimately I play sport and cricket for the competitive side. I love that competitive drive that bowling at a batter gives you. You beat the outside edge and there’s no win in that, but then you nip one back and it goes through the gate. Those sort of feelings are so addictive to me.
“The addiction to being in this changing room is quite strong. Credit to Rob Key (director of cricket), Baz McCullum and Stokesy – they’ve made everything about playing for England 10 out of 10. I am 36 turning 37 but I have always said if my competitive burn goes then I won’t be the cricketer I am, but my competitive burn is alive.”
Broad is known for his ability to conduct the crowd during key passages of play, often rallying support at the top of his mark, and enjoys fan favourite status for his ability to wind up the Australian contingent.
He has long been rewarded with a chant of “he’s big, he’s bad, he’s better than his dad” – a reference to father Chris, a distinguished opening batter and now ICC match referee.
Now the Barmy Army, together with Marmite, have ripped up the songbook and worked up a new song to the tune of Abba’s Voulez-Vous and Broad is eager to hear it belting out from the stands in the coming weeks.
“I played the song to my wife Mollie this morning. We’ve both been whistling the song all morning,” he said.
“I’m really looking forward to the Barmy Army singing it for the first time. I might speak to them and time it well, maybe when I get a wicket…that first Ashes Test at Edgbaston, it’s going to be electric.
“It’s good to lift my dad’s spirits too. He’s had long enough being told I’m better than him.”
Salt century gives England winning start to West Indies T20 series
Phil Salt hit a superb century as England drew first blood in their T20 series against West Indies, with a commanding eight-wicket victory at the Kensington Oval.
Salt's unbeaten 103 off 54 balls was the highlight for the tourists, who successfully chased down their target of 183 with 19 balls to spare.
The West Indies endured a difficult start and were reduced to 18-3 and later 117-8, with Saqib Mahmood (4-34) and Adil Rashid (3-32) doing the damage.
However, the hosts managed 65 runs in the last 5.2 overs to finish at 182-8, with Gukadesh Motie knocking 33 off 14 balls along the way.
Salt kick-started England's chase with 50 off just 25 deliveries taking them to 73-1 after six overs, with Will Jacks (17) dismissed with the final ball of the powerplay.
Jos Buttler's first match after four months out lasted just three minutes, as the skipper was caught by Motie for a golden duck.
However, it proved a false dawn for West Indies, with Salt and Jacob Bethall (58 from 36 balls) safely steering England to victory.
Data Debrief: Salt completes hat-trick of hundreds as Bethell makes historic half-century
England put their disappointing ODI series behind them, making history with the highest T20 chase at the Kensington Oval.
Salt was the hero with his third T20I century, all of which have come against West Indies in the past 12 months.
Bethell also made history on Saturday. Aged 21 years and 17 days, he become the youngest England player to score a 50 in a T20I.
Asalanka leads Sri Lanka to ODI series win over West Indies
Sri Lanka wrapped up the ODI series against the West Indies with a five-wicket victory in Pallekele.
The hosts successfully chased down their opponents' total of 189, giving them an unassailable 2-0 in the three-match series.
Sri Lanka controlled the early powerplay - Asitha Fernando (3-35) and Maheesh Theekshana (3-25) took two wickets apiece to leave the tourists at 31-4 in the ninth over.
Wanindu Hasaranga (4-40) then claimed three of his four wickets as Roston Chase, Romario Shepherd, Hayden Walsh and Alzarri Joseph were all dismissed in the space of 14 balls.
However, Sherfane Rutherford (80 off 82 balls) and Gudakesh Motie (50 not out) steadied the ship to take the Windies from 58-8 to 189.
Although Joseph claimed Avishka Fernando (9) in the fourth over, Nishan Madushka and Sadeera Samarawickrama both chipped in with contributions of 38 to get the hosts to 112-4.
Skipper Charith Asalanka (62 not out) led the charge thereon, while Kamindu Mendis (11) comfortably got them over the line with 34 balls remaining.
Data Debrief: Rutherford-Motie historic stand proves academic for tourists
West Indies were looking to level the series, but their hopes were not aided by Sri Lanka's impressive bowling.
Rutherford and Motie did their best. Their partnership brought 119 runs, which is their nation's highest ninth-wicket stand in ODI history, breaking the previous record of 85 between Yannic Cariah and Alzarri Joseph.
However, it ultimately proved in vain as the hosts secured the series with a game to spare.
'I was a tired, grumpy old man' - Stokes apologised to England team-mates after Pakistan defeat
Ben Stokes says he apologised to his England team-mates after his frustrations were evident during the second-Test defeat by Pakistan.
The hosts levelled the three-Test series on Thursday after wrapping up a 152-run win in Multan.
However, it could have been a different story but for fielding errors at crucial stages for the visitors, Jamie Smith and Joe Root notably dropping catches to dismiss Salman Agha, whose subsequent knock of 63 helped Pakistan seal victory with a day to spare.
Stokes, who returned to action following a hamstring injury, could not hide his frustration during a difficult day for England, but insisted he would not let his emotions get the better of him again.
"No one means to drop catches, but it just proves how important catches are in these subcontinent conditions, they don't come along that often," he told Sky Sports.
"I actually apologised to the group last night. It's the first time in my captaincy that I've let my emotions and how I was feeling with the way the game was unfolding show in my body language.
"I owned up to that and was very annoyed at myself for letting that out. It's something that I don't want to do or be seen to be doing, so I apologised to the group about that.
"Poor old me, I was a tired, grumpy old man last night! You won't see that happen again."
However, England coach Brendon McCullum defended the actions of his skipper.
"We all know how passionate Ben is, how much it means for him to play for England," he said.
"We've seen that through his bloody-mindedness to get back from injury, which was significant, and to do so in a nine-week timeframe and to have his first TM [Test match] in extreme conditions, 40 degrees, and be able to give what he gave to the side.
"I think, maybe, that's where some of that frustration led to - certainly, it wasn't directed at any of the players. It was more about trying to assess the rhythm of the game, and to impact on it."
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