Stuart Broad Underlines The Blueprint To Win The Ashes In Australia

England veteran seamer Stuart Broad has opened up to what their bowlers need to do to win the Ashes in Australia. Stuart Broad, who became the latest entrant to the 500-wicket club, is fixed on playing the next Ashes contest down under in 2021/22. Broad was part of the previous campaign in Australia and felt that considerable runs on the scoreboard would be the hack to win there.

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The 2010/11 series was the last time England won in Australia after a gap of 24 years. It also made them retain the urn; however, they have endured forgettable tours in a previous couple of occasions. They lost 5-0 in 2013/14 and 4-0 in 2017/18, failing to contain the Australian batsmen and putting substantial totals. As for Stuart Broad, he could feature in only two Tests in 2010/11 but played all five on the next two visits.

Stuart Broad said that if England wants to win in Australia a year later, it would not require bowlers with gun speeds. He emphasized the example of Aussie seamer Glenn McGrath, who bowled at 80mph leading up to his 37th birthday when his team had 500 plus totals on the board. Instead, the 34-year old stated that the focus should be on reaching 400 since bowlers would be helpless if the batsmen managed only 200.

“If you want to know what it takes to win Test matches in Australia, it’s not whether you have someone who can get up to 95mph. Glenn McGrath was still pretty useful coming up to his 37th birthday and bowling at 80mph when his team had 500 runs on the board.

“We should take the focus off which bowlers are going to be selected for that series because it’s an irrelevant conversation if you’re going to be bowled out for 200. It’s equally irrelevant if you’re bowled out for 300. You need to be reaching the 400s,” the Nottinghamshire seamer wrote in a column for The Mail.

Steve Smith has not batted after fielding for two days and with a huge score on the board: Stuart Broad

Broad reminded the 2010/11 series when the likes of Andrew Strauss, Alastair Cook, Jonathan Trott, Kevin Pietersen, Ian Bell, and Matt Prior batted for long periods and that in all three victories, England batted only once.

Furthermore, he reflected that James Anderson, Chris Tremlett, and Tim Bresnan bowled in the mid-80s and skittled the Australian batsmen. Cook was the highest run-getter in the series with 766 runs under his belt.

“Look back at when England last won there in 2010-11: Alastair Cook, Jonathan Trott and Kevin Pietersen all got big hundreds, scores of 150-plus. Ian Bell, Andrew Strauss and Matt Prior got hundreds, too. In all three wins, the team batted just once. Jimmy (Anderson), Tim Bresnan and Chris Tremlett bowled in the mid-80s and England made big totals,” Broad conceded.

The 143-Test veteran is well aware of the imposing presence of Steve Smith, who averages an enormous 71.14 at home. However, Stuart Broad reflected that the New South Wales batsman has hardly batted after fielding for two days and with a massive score on the board. Hence, Broad stresses on keeping the hosts on the field till the second evening.

“Steve Smith has batted against 90mph bowling throughout a career in which he averages the best part of 63. But what he hasn’t done often is go out to bat having been fielding for two days and the opposition having a huge score on the board. We need that mindset of keeping the opposition out there until the second evening,” he added futher.

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