Stuart Broad by CricketArchive Staff Reporter

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Player:

SCJ Broad

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DateLine: 3rd May 2009

 

It has been a fascinating meteoric rise for this prodigal son of a former England player Chris Broad. He started as a batsman, but suddenly changed it to being a medium-fast bowler, and the change actually worked for him as he was chosen for England under-19 team as well as made his Leicestershire debut, both in the same season, 2005. He took 9 for 72 on his under-19 debut and took 25 wickets in the season for his county. His progress continued as he made it to the England A side for the tour to West Indies, and then featured regularly in that team in the year 2006. Later that year, he made his ODI debut against the visiting Pakistani side, and followed it up with his Test debut against Sri Lanka in 2007. The Kiwi tour of 2008 proved to be his making. With Matthew Hoggard and Steve Harmison both out of form, he was selected for the Wellington Test. The decision was justified by the tall all-rounder. The following Test in Napier proved why he was considered as one of the best all-rounders on show. A vital 42 helped prop up England's first innings before he took 3 for 54. Alongside these features, his fielding proved that England had found themselves a Test cricketer of rare class. That impression continued to climb during England's home season in 2008 when no less a technical purist as Geoffrey Boycott likened his tall elegant batting style to Sir Garfield Sobers. Broad has till date played 15 Tests and has picked up 38 wickets at 40.60 and had one fifer to his credit. His batting average of 29.18 is also very decent considering he is a fast-bowling all-rounder. In 15 matches he has three fifties to his credit.