Broad is just one wicket away from 500 in Tests after superb display in series-deciding #raisethebat Test in Manchester
Sunday 26 July 2020 19:53, UK
Rory Burns explained why England team-mate Stuart Broad is such a nightmare for opening batsmen to face after the bowler moved on to 499 Test wickets.
Broad took six wickets on day three of the series-deciding third Test against West Indies in Manchester and now has 14 in two games at 10.50 after being left out of the series opener.
The 34-year-old also dominated David Warner during last year's drawn Ashes contest, dismissing the Australian opener seven times across the five-match series.
England opener Burns said of Broad on Sky Sports: "He is bowling very nicely, isn't he? The way he is bowling at the minute, particularly to left-handers, makes it a very difficult place up the top of the order.
"The angles he creates makes you feel like you always have to play it as he has the ability to swing the ball and then straighten it up.
"He can then also come the other way with the leg-cutter which makes it a very difficult challenge.
"Opening the batting is all about controlling the top of your off-stump and knowing where that is and Broady is always challenging that."
Broad will now look to become the second Englishman, after James Anderson, and only the fourth seamer from any country to the milestone of 500 Test wickets.
The paceman may have to wait until day five at Emirates Old Trafford, though, with rain threatening to wipe out day four and hold up England, who have reduced West Indies to 10-2 - Broad with both wickets - after setting the tourists a massive 399 to win the Test.
"Sib [Dom Sibley] nudged me and said Broad was on 497 and I didn't realise, so 499 overnight now is a nice place to be for him," added Burns.
"Those two wickets tonight were a nice bonus, so hopefully we can push on and take eight wickets, win the series and pop out of the [bio-secure] bubble for a little bit."
West Indies avoided the follow-on on Sunday morning after moving past the required total of 170 having resumed on 137-6, only for Broad to pick up 4-14 and roll the tourists for 196.
Burns (90), Dom Sibley (56) and Joe Root (68no) then led England to 226-2 in their second innings before the latter declared late in the day
"We probably didn't quite hit our straps how we came out there [in the morning] so that was slightly disappointing," added Burns.
"But the way we came back after those 40-odd minutes and gave ourselves the opportunity to bat as we did has put us in a good position.
"To start with it was about getting a solid platform together and Sibs [Sibley] played very nicely.
"In and around tea we had a closer think about how we wanted to push it and maybe tick along at four an over and then leave ourselves 10 overs or so trying to put our foot down.
"Monday doesn't look all that great if the forecast is true but we have manged to put ourselves in a very good position."
Watch day four of the series-deciding third #raisethebat Test between England and West Indies live from 10.30am on Monday on Sky Sports Cricket.
