Broad backing for Moores

Stuart Broad bowling against West Indies for England Lions on Thursday at Worcestershire

Stuart Broad has hailed the motivational skills of England coach Peter Moores as the Leicestershire paceman aims to put a frustrating start to the campaign behind him during the NatWest international Twenty20 games and the NatWest Series with West Indies.

Broad was part of England’s World Cup squad in the Caribbean and then strongly tipped to be involved in the four Test series with the Windies.

A knee injury in the early part of the campaign curtailed those hopes but Broad has eased his way back to fitness during the past few three weeks and played for England Lions against Windies in a one-day game at Worcester on Thursday.

Now he is relishing the prospect of being reunited with Moores whom he worked with when part of the ECB National Academy.

Broad said: “The injury was a bit of a freak one. I just caught my studs in the grass and twisted my knee slightly so I couldn’t do too much about that.

Broad will add length to England's batting order

“It was frustrating having a month off and I was very frustrated when I picked up the injury the Wednesday before the first Test. That’s cricket. You get injuries at times.

“But on the bright side, I’m only 20 and I’ve got time to push on and get my body right and that’s what I’ve done and hopefully I can finish the summer very strongly.

"It’s great to be called up again by England. I’ve been back playing for two and a half to three weeks and starting to feel good and am hitting my groove.

“I had a slow start coming back at Taunton. I struggled with a bit of rhythm but at Northampton I bowled 40 overs in the championship game and felt good.

“Things are coming on well. If I get selected for any of the Twenty20 or one-day internationals, I know I am ready to go. It is the start of a new era for England in one-day cricket and I’d like to play a big part in that. I’d love to be involved.”

Broad is relishing the chance to be reunited with former Sussex coach Moores who helped steer England to a 3-0 win over the Windies in the Test series.

He said: “I’ve had two winters working with him Peter Moores, on West Indies and Bangladesh tours, and he is a massive motivator and gets the best out of people.

“He gels teams together - look at what he achieved at Sussex - and he is very enjoyable to work with. There is the right balance in the way he does things.

“When you are training it is intense and he demands you give everything but when you are off, you are off and can relax. I’ve enjoyed every minute I’ve worked with Peter Moores and hopefully there will be a few more in the future.”

Paul Nixon enjoyed a productive World Cup for England © Getty Images

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What could count in Broad’s favour is he would stiffen up the England batting in the lower order.

He said: “I changed from being a batsman to a bowler when I was 18. It took me a couple of years to get used to first-class cricket and I’ve been feeling good this year.

“When you’ve just won a series 3-0, you can’t really doubt the tail can you because we kept getting 400 or 500 on the scoreboard.

“I’ll just keep working hard in the nets and, if the chance came, I’d look to score some runs.”

Broad is quick to praise his Foxes team-mate Paul Nixon who was with him in the World Cup squad but has been overlooked so far by Moores this summer.

He said: “Paul is great. He really helped England this winter as everyone could see.

“He is always willing to help and having him at the start of my career guiding me through has been fantastic.

“He has always got ideas. Some are good and some are terrible! But it is good to pick off the good ones and he is good to have behind the stumps when you are tearing in.”