Stuart Broad, James Anderson are two of England’s best of all time: Joe Root

England’s Stuart Broad, left, listens to captain Joe Root before bowling his next delivery. (AP Photo)
Stuart Broad grabbed his 500th test wicket to set England on their way to a resounding 269 run win over West Indies in the third and final test at Old Trafford on Tuesday.

Broad joined an elite club, finishing with match figures of 10-67, as the West Indies were bowled out for 129 runs in between several rain delays in Manchester.

England won the first test series since the COVID-19 pandemic 2-1 and will almost immediately go into another three-match test series against Pakistan, starting next week.

After the game Broad was adjudged as the player of the match. Reflecting on his performance, the 33-year-old said,” When you get milestones, you want them to lead to match wins and series wins. So it feels very special today.”

“Haven’t ever really set any targets on that front (on how many wickets he would end up with). Have learnt a huge amount through my career. Have done some technical work that makes me feel in great rhythm right now. The competition keeps everyone performing. We’ve got a real battery of fast bowlers at the minute. Really strong bowling attack in these conditions.”

Skipper Joe Root was all praise for his seamer and his team which bounced back after the defeat in Southampton. “The last two weeks have been excellent. We set out a game plan throughout the two games and we executed it pretty well in both departments. In the first game, with the first innings runs and in this game with the ball, we were outstanding. It’s a great step forward for us as a batting group. You look at the talent among those guys, you feel they can exploit a lot different surfaces around the world.”

“For him (Broad) to come back and make the impact in these two games is testament to how good a player he has been. Couldn’t be more happy for him, especially the way he finished off today. Runs in the first innings, 500 wickets, it’s a phenomenal achievement. The sort of player he is, he wants to be a part of the big occasion.”

“More than anything he grabs the big moments in series. Wants to take the ball in difficult situations. Ashes series, South Africa in Johannesburg, this series, so many more. Very good with the other bowlers as well and he is happy to pass on his experience and advice. We’re playing with two of England’s best of all time. I have said it before, we got to understand how lucky we are. Real privilege to play alongside them (James Anderson and Stuart Broad.)

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