Broad eyeing new-ball role

Fast bowler Stuart Broad is hoping to make the new ball his own at Test level

Stuart Broad is determined to make the most of being handed the new ball in Test cricket and form an Ashes partnership with James Anderson.

England’s bowling was fronted by the so-called fab four of Steve Harmison, Matthew Hoggard, Andrew Flintoff and Simon Jones four years ago when they successfully secured the urn in 2005.

But with that quartet currently injured or out of favour, 22-year-old Broad is forging a partnership with Lancashire paceman Anderson, 26, with just one Test between now and the summer’s big event.

They have been the chosen opening pair for the past two Tests against West Indies and are set to continue that relationship at Chester-le-Street this week.

“It is something I worked hard for in one-day cricket. I was given the new ball against South Africa last year and really want to make it my own,” said Broad.

“It is certainly something I want to do in Test cricket. I have always bowled with the new ball for Leicestershire and Nottinghamshire and it is something I have really cherished. It puts pressure on you to take wickets but that is something I enjoy.”

Captain Andrew Strauss began his tenure earlier this year by throwing the new ball to all-rounder Flintoff but another frustrating injury has allowed the Anderson-Broad axis to develop.

And Broad reckons they have begun to forge the kind of understanding required to be successful at the top level.

“Personally I like fielding at mid-off because you can chat to the other bowler,” said Broad. “Jimmy and I have played a lot of cricket together now and we talk about deliveries all the time.

“When Chris Gayle was driving me in the first innings at Lord’s, Jimmy told me to try a couple of overs of just attempting to hit him in the belly button. That was designed to tie him up a bit and luckily one of them swung back a bit and got him out.

“Communication is key in Test cricket because it is whoever adapts the quickest seems to prosper.”

The 22-year-old will aiming to build on his impressive displays against West Indies

Despite his tender years and the fact he was playing in only his 16th Test, Broad is suddenly one of the senior men in a new-look team and that showed in his reaction to debutants Graham Onions and Tim Bresnan at Lord’s.

“I felt a responsibility to get Graham into his first spell and Tim as well,” he said.

“The communication within the bowling attack was fantastic in the last Test - the lengths to bowl, the areas to bowl - and we decided that we could afford to be driven and were willing to sacrifice going at four runs per over to get a couple of wickets.”

That sacrifice resulted in the tourists being bundled out for just 152 and following on, with Onions bagging a five-wicket haul.

Broad’s pace was impressive in the three-day victory - even if the speedgun which clocked him at 93 miles per hour might be termed over-enthusiastic - and he clearly benefited from giving the Indian Premier League a miss to rest up for 10 days at the start of the season.

“I am certainly stronger, so that is going to help, perhaps not with my first spell but perhaps coming back after 80 overs with the second new ball when you need to hit 85 miles per hour again,” said Broad.

“I feel I can recover more quickly after games because I feel a lot fitter.

“It was pleasing to get Gayle and Ramnaresh Sarwan - two huge wickets and two people who caused us trouble out in the West Indies - but I was actually more pleased with my second-innings performance: how my rhythm felt and the areas I hit.

“It is nice to bowl at a pace where you have still got a little bit more in you, so you can surprise the batsman.

"The hardest bowlers to face when I am batting are people whose bouncer is quicker than their length-ball because it really shocks you.

“They can also hurry you with their fuller ball or slide it on to you. Bowlers that vary their speed by five or six miles an hour have been very effective over recent years. That is something I am trying to implement into my game.”