Browsing: Stuart

The next time Broad was an Ashes winner, England’s famous triumph down under in 2010-11, he played only two Tests before his series was ended by a side injury. He cried as he was hugged by England team doctor Nick Pierce in the dressing room at the Adelaide Oval and spent the third Test in Perth with the Test Match Special team before heading home to watch the rest of the series from his sofa.

Broad was two from two in Ashes series, but his role as the Pom the Aussies loved to hate was not forged until 2013.

In the tight first Test, Broad’s edge off the spin of Ashton Agar deflected off the wicketkeeping gloves of Haddin and into the hands of Clarke at first slip. Broad did not walk, Australia were out of reviews and the runs he went on to add helped England win the match.

In Broad’s defence, his brass neck looked worse because of Haddin’s inability to hang ont o the edge, but that did not stop Australia coach Darren Lehmann labelling him a “blatant cheat” whom he hoped “cries and goes home” in the return series down under six months later.

Broad knew he was going to cop it, not least when the Brisbane Courier Mail refused to print his name and ran a headline calling him a ‘smug Pommie cheat’.

“In the warm-up games I walked around the boundary edge with the psychologist or on my own,” he says. “If you walk around the Gabba there might be 45,000 people, so you just hear noise. If you walk around at a warm-up where there might only be 100 people, you hear every word.

“I wanted to build a shield around me. I wanted to hear the abuse to strengthen me. I worked with the psychologist, because I knew it was coming, to strengthen my resolve.

“When my name got announced that I was bowling my first ball in the first Test at the Gabba, the boos were unbelievable.

“The day before, I’d done my pre-match mental routine. I stood at the end of my mark, bowled four overs in my mind and I imagined the boos. I could feel it. I felt like I’d been there before. It definitely fazed me. I bowled a no-ball, a short one that got hit for four first ball. It was quite overwhelming.”

Despite that feeling, Broad recovered to take five wickets and, that evening, walked into the news conference with the Courier Mail tucked under his arm. It was England’s best day in a series where they were dismantled by Mitchell Johnson and lost 5-0.

Eighteen months later Broad was doing some dismantling of his own in a career-defining and Ashes-clinching performance.

In the fourth Test on his home ground of Trent Bridge, Broad was bowling England’s first over for the first time in the absence of the injured James Anderson. Using his local knowledge, Broad urged captain Alastair Cook to bat first if he won the toss.

“I was marking my run-up out and Shane Warne came over and said ‘That’s a bowl first, isn’t it?’,” says Broad. “I remember thinking Shane Warne is bat first everywhere. If he thinks it’s bowl first…

“I went over to Cookie. ‘Chef, it could be a bowl first’. He said ‘Don’t worry, I’ve made that call already’.”

Broad’s legs were pumping. Australian edges were swallowed by England slip fielders. Figures of 8-15 remain the best in Ashes history by a pace bowler from either side. Australia were torn apart in 18.3 overs and 94 minutes. 60 all out.

“You can’t take it in,” says Broad. “I got the five-for, it came up on the big screen and I didn’t have a clue.

“It took a bit of time – months – to see the scorecard and see 8-15 written. What was so special was Joe Root got a hundred in the same day. If we’d been bowled out for 100, it’s a different conversation.”

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Broad retired from playing after the Ashes series in England in 2023, when Australia retained the urn with a 2-2 draw.

He added: “You wouldn’t be outlandish in thinking – it’s actually not an opinion, it’s a fact – it’s probably the worst Australian team since 2010 when England last won, and it’s the best English team since 2010.

“So those things match up to the fact it’s going to be a brilliant Ashes series.”

The first Test starts in Perth on 21 November and Australia’s preparations have been hit by the potential absence of skipper Cummins, who has not played since July because of lumbar bone stress in his back.

The pace bowler is still recovering from the injury and has said he is “less likely than likely” to play in the opener.

His absence would leave Australia with a bowling attack of Mitchell Starc, Josh Hazlewood and Scott Boland, who are all in their mid-30s, with their other seamers inexperienced or untried at Test level.

The packed Ashes schedule – five Tests in seven weeks – also means both sides will be tested by injuries.

“Australia have been so consistent for a long period of time that you just knew who was going to open the batting, who was going to bat where, what bowlers there were – and they don’t have that,” said Broad.

“It’s very much a similar situation to 2010-2011 when England went and won there.

“The fact of the matter is Australia generally have to be bad to lose in Australia and England have to be very good.

“England have a great chance of being very good and Australia have a decent chance of being bad.

“I don’t think anyone could argue that it’s their weakest team since 2010… it’s just a fact.”

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Stuart Pearce was famously something of late starter when it came to his football career.

While he would go on to win 78 caps for England and be a key player in the World Cup 90 and Euro 96 sides that reached the last-four in both tournaments, he began his career training and then working as an electrician during a five-year stint at non-league side Wealdstone.

Pearce’s big break would come in 1983, when Coventry City boss Bobby Gould spotted something in the non-league left-back and snapped him up in a £30,000 deal.

Pearce’s determination and combative nature – two traits that served him well during his career – had impressed Gould, but it could all have been different if Pearce had followed his initial dream and followed in the footsteps of his early hero Gordon Banks.

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Kettlewell’s attacking, yet pragmatic, style of play has been commended.

He has been consistent in his selections, with George Stanger, Lewis Mayo and Robbie Deas making a solid back-three.

Jamie Brandon and youngster Ben Brannan were first-choice wing-backs and excelled, although both have been struck down with injury of late.

Up top, Marcus Dackers and Djenairo Daniels have formed a physical partnership after arriving in the summer.

The real star though, has been David Watson. The midfielder was frequently left on the bench by former manager Derek McInnes in the second half of last season but has been given a new lease of life.

Kettlewell has previous with young talents – Lennon Miller was his ingenue at Motherwell – and Watson has also been full of praise for his new boss.

“He’s been helpful, not just for me, but for other young lads,” the 20-year-old said. “He’s been brilliant. There’s young boys training every day, so it opens up opportunities for academy players.”

Fans want to see their team win, but they want to see them play well and see young players come through.

So far, Kettlewell is ticking those boxes. He’s even started turning round the away form – Kilmarnock have won one of their past 15 on the road in the league before the win at Tannadice.

It’s early days, but the signs are promising. Keep up the performances, and the results should start coming.

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