Stuart Broad revealed he has designs on emulating Jimmy Anderson’s evergreen Test career after the three‑wicket burst that has kept England in the hunt for a series-levelling victory in Manchester.
Broad fancies a 45-minute thrash on the final morning can swell a lead of 219 into a target of 270-plus that would “dangle the carrot” for West Indies, with the aim to leave enough of the 98-over day to get a second new ball late on.
The 34-year-old certainly made one talk after tea on Sunday, claiming three strikes in 14 balls, and though he felt he had “nothing to prove” after his omission last week, before replacing Anderson here, the fire clearly still burns.
Broad said: “I think sometimes I get put in an older category than I am. Jimmy [who turns 38 at the end of the month] has taken around 130 Test wickets since he was my age, why can’t I do the same?
“I’m hungry, my fitness levels are good. Why not try and emulate what Jimmy has done and play to his age? I feel I can. Today proved that again. When I set goals it makes me hungry to achieve them.”
Joe Root hinted before this Test that the days of Broad’s and Anderson’s record-breaking partnership in the same England XI may be coming to an end, with the selectors looking to give others experience before future challenges such as the Ashes in 2021‑22.
Asked about this, Broad replied: “I’d be surprised if that was the route decided. We’ve been very successful. It’s such a unique summer with six Tests over six weeks that rotation will be necessary. We get put in a category together but we both perform well without each other and with each other. I want to play with Jimmy again and hope he feels the same. We complement each other and create a lot of pressure together. When our paths cross again might depend on workloads but I hope we play together this summer and would be surprised if we don’t.”
While Broad was making merry after tea, Jofra Archer was bowling into an empty net by the side of the ground. This was a fourth day of isolation for the quick following his unsanctioned trip to Hove last week. But, with permission from West Indies, England had him back out of his room for exercise.
It began with a jog around the outfield at 7am, wearing gloves and a mask, before ditching these for an afternoon session with the ball. Four members of the support staff wearing masks observed from a distance and the signs are that Archer, who received a fine and written warning, is being readied for a return on Friday in the third Test on the same ground.
In an earlier reminder of the new normal, the umpires were forced to disinfect the ball out in the middle shortly before the lunch interval after Dom Sibley absent-mindedly rubbed saliva on it and then immediately alerted them to the error.
The officials have the power to issue two warnings followed by a five-run penalty for repeat offenders, under temporary match regulations during the Covid-19 pandemic. But they have also been urged to show leniency too, with players having spent years instinctively polishing the ball in this fashion.