Stuart Broad hailed the influence of Australia greats Shane Warne and Glenn McGrath after the England veteran became just the fifth bowler to take 600 Test wickets.
Four-time Ashes series-winner Broad on Wednesday achieved the feat on the opening day of the fourth Test against Australia at Old Trafford when he had Travis Head caught in the deep by Joe Root.
It was the second of two wickets in the seamer’s haul of 2-68, with Australia 299-8 at stumps after being sent into bat by England captain Ben Stokes in a match the hosts have to win, at 2-1 down, if they are to regain the Ashes.
Photo: AFP
Broad has often starred against Australia, having spent his youth witnessing numerous England defeats by their archrivals.
Following a 1986-1987 triumph in Australia where Broad’s father, Chris Broad, scored three centuries, it was not until 2005 that England next won an Ashes series — two years before Stuart Broad’s Test debut.
“I grew up completely obsessed watching Ashes cricket and I suppose that’s why some of my heroes are Shane Warne, Glenn McGrath, some of the great Aussie team,” Stuart Broad said at a news conference. “As a kid you are influenced by winning sides. It also built up my steeliness to want to be part of England teams that could win the Ashes after going through a whole childhood without us lifting them. I probably grew up with a bit more of an Australian mindset rather than a sort of England mindset of the ’90s.”
Stuart Broad, the leading bowler on either side in the series with 18 wickets, has been a rejuvenated cricketer since skipper Stokes and coach Brendon McCullum took charge of England’s Test side last year.
In that time he has taken 87 wickets in 14 Tests, having feared for his international future after being left out of a tour of the West Indies in March last year.
“Ultimately Baz [McCullum] and Stokesy have given me a new lease of life in a way,” he said. “It is such a free changing room. There is no fear of failure or judgement, it’s about moving the game forward and that suits me. I owe a lot in the last 14 months to the way Baz and Stokes have brought energy to the group. I would argue it’s been the most enjoyable year of my Test career, which is an awesome thing to say at 37 years old.”
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