Broad shoulders praise

Stuart Broad has prospered with England this summer

Stuart Broad believes he has accelerated his development into a top-class cricketer by being given the chance to learn on the international stage by England.

The 21-year-old Nottinghamshire seamer was identified two years ago as the type of player who had the right temperament and ability to thrive at the higher level and was plucked out of county cricket by the selectors.

It is his performances in the limited overs format of the game which have really caught the eye, prompting Kevin Pietersen to compare him with Australian great Glenn McGrath given his consistency and accuracy.

It is a bold claim and one which Broad, son of former England batsman Chris, will not let affect his development as he attempts to build a long career at international level.

“There’s a long way to go - I’m only 21,” said Broad, who returned the most economic figures of his England career in England’s NatWest series defeat to New Zealand at Bristol.

“My old man keeps telling me that, but he keeps forgetting that I’m still only 21 and only played two or three years of professional cricket.

“I’m learning all the time. It is a fantastic stage to learn on and hopefully I can keep developing the way it is going.

“I’m enjoying my cricket, playing under the coaches and management that is in place is fantastic because they are always pushing you to develop all the time, and if I can keep developing at this rate, and get more caps under my belt before the next World Cup, I’ll be in a good place.”

His performance yesterday follows similarly impressive displays throughout the five-match series when he has gone for less than three runs an over in the three matches despite taking the new ball and bowling to the explosive talents of Brendon McCullum.

Broad's ability to combat the pulsating strokeplay of Brendon McCullum has been excellent for England

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“You’ve got to keep on improving and developing and that is what I’m trying to do. I’m in a good rhythm at the moment, but all bowlers know that you go through phases of when you feel the ball is coming out right and you know exactly where you are putting it.

Of course, it is easier said than done when you are bowling to someone with the dynamic strokeplay of McCullum and fielding restrictions in place to aid his devastating hitting.

But it is a battle which Broad is enjoying - and succeeding in - having dismissed him during England’s first victory of the series in Chester-le-Street a week ago.

“He’s got shots all around the ground but you’ve just got to predict what he is trying to do and make him try and hit it where he doesn’t want to hit it,” explained Broad.

“You know if he is backing away, he wants a bit of width to hit over point which he is very strong at so you’ve got to change your delivery at the last second. It’s a great challenge to bowl against someone like that.

“He’s obviously turned the corner in his career in the last couple of years, found a method and it is a great challenge to come up against someone who can hit it out of the ground from ball one.”

Broad and the rest of the England squad are now looking forward to making amends for the defeat at Bristol in the remaining two games of the series.

“After winning and bowling like they did, they are going to be up but it’s up to us to train hard on Tuesday and go to the Oval fresh and ready to put in another performance like at Durham and win the game.”