Glenn McGrath described Stuart Broad as a “true champion” and Mike Atherton called him an “undeniably great cricketer” after the England bowler announced that he will retire from cricket following the Ashes.
The 37-year-old, who has taken 602 wickets in 167 Tests, made the announcement at the end of the third day of the final Test against Australia at the Kia Oval.
Broad is the second most successful paceman in Test history, behind team-mate James Anderson, and his hero McGrath was among the first to pay tribute to his skills.
“It is a big decision but you come to a time when you know,” former Australia bowler McGrath told BBC’s Test Match Special.
“He loves the big moments, he loves the pressure and that is the sign of a true champion.
“Going out on your own terms is special as well. He has been incredible for England for a long, long time.”
Former England captains Atherton, Nasser Hussain and Sir Alastair Cook were also quick to pay tribute to Broad, who made his Test debut against Sri Lanka in December 2007.
Atherton told Sky Sports: “Great is an overused word sometimes in the commentary box but Stuart is an undeniably great cricketer for England.
“167 games, 602 wickets, and that performance of eight for 15 against Australia on a home ground the absolutely defining performance of his career.
“I think he’s chosen his moment wisely – what better place to go out than against Australia in the Ashes – and he can look back with a great deal of pride at a fantastic career.”
Hussain added: “Stuart gets pigeon-holed as a competitor because the lad at the other end (James Anderson) is one of the most skilful bowlers there’s ever been.
“But you can’t doubt Stuart’s skill and the work that he does that we don’t see in the gym, running, diet and looking after yourself.
“Very rarely does a bowler or a cricketer tick nearly every box. As a captain you do want that, especially in an Ashes battle when you say to people: ‘Do you really want to be out in the cauldron?'”
“Some people like it and then they shy away from it. They want a taste of it but then they don’t want anymore because they don’t want that pressure.
“Stuart’s great attribute is that he wants to be in that cauldron, he wants to be in that pressure.
“He’s the complete article – the fitness, the hunger, the competitiveness, the skill – and the one thing I know about Stuart Broad is that he won’t let that emotion get in the way of this game.
“That has been the benchmark throughout his career, he wants to win games for England.”
Cook was captain when Broad returned his Test best figures of eight for 15 against Australia at Trent Bridge in August 2015.
He told BBC’s Test Match Special. “I’m a bit emotional and a bit surprised. But if you look at the schedule for Stuart Broad, you have India away, Sri Lanka and West Indies next summer, no offence to those sides but Broad is about big moments.
“So for him to get through to another big moment is probably another two-and-a-half years.
“The one player to deliver, alongside Ben Stokes, in the big moments is Stuart Broad and what a feeling that must be for a player.”
England and Wales Cricket Board chief executive Richard Gould said: “Stuart Broad is quite simply one of England’s all-time greats. One of the game’s fiercest competitors, it is fitting that he should choose to retire from the game at the culmination of such a closely contested and exciting Ashes series.
“To not only represent your country for 17 consecutive years but to be at the top of your game and amongst the world’s best for almost two decades is remarkable.
“He is a true leviathan of the game and we can not thank him enough for his outstanding service.”
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."
Sri Lanka breeze to series win over West Indies
Sri Lanka cruised to a nine-wicket victory over West Indies to seal a T20I series triumph.
With the series delicately poised at 1-1 heading into the final match on Thursday, Sri Lanka started with intent in Dambulla.
Maheesh Theekshana (2-19) and Wanindu Hasaranga (2-24) led the charge as Sri Lanka skittled through the Windies' top order.
Rovman Powell's stubborn 37 and a contribution of 32 from Gudakesh Motie steered West Indies to a reasonable total of 162-8, but it was one well within reach of Sri Lanka.
Pathum Nissanka clipped seven fours and one six in a 22-ball 37 to get Sri Lanka's chase rolling at pace, before he was bowled by Gudakesh Mottie (1-31).
Yet the damage was mostly done, with Kusal Mendis powering his way to an unbeaten 68 and Kusal Perera plundering 55 from 36 balls to get the job done with the minimum of fuss.
Data Debrief: Perera closing in on Sri Lanka record
Perera is now just nine runs away from surpassing Tillakaratne Dilshan (1,889) as the leading scorer in Sri Lanka's T20I history.
His efforts, combined with those of Nissanka and Mendis, saw Sri Lanka win for a fourth time in their last six T20Is at Rangiri Dambulla International Stadium, although this is the first time they have won at the venue in that run when batting second.
The Windies' miserable record in Asia has continued, meanwhile. They have won only one of their last 11 T20Is in Asia (L10), with that victory coming in the first match of this series. They have now lost 33 T20Is on the continent in total, with only Ireland (35) having lost more.
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