"I think when you haven't been playing, particularly at 35 years old, you realise how special it is. I've had points in my career where I've felt like I've always been playing. That's not happened in 2021 and it's my job to make that happen in 2022"
Thursday 6 January 2022 17:39, UK
England seamer Stuart Broad says "he still has a lot to offer" and a "burning desire to play cricket" after taking his 19th Test five-wicket haul on day two of the fourth Test against Australia in Sydney.
Broad bagged 5-101, including Australia top-scorer Usman Khawaja for 137, as he picked up the eighth five-for of his Ashes career.
The 35-year-old had spoken in his Mail on Sunday column earlier this week about how he would not make a rash decision on his Test future after being left out of two of the first three Ashes fixtures.
But, speaking to BT Sport on Thursday and then reporters later on, Broad suggested his Test career is far from over.
"I still feel like I have a lot to offer this team," Broad told BT Sport on the day he became England's second-most prolific Ashes bowler of all time as he took his tally of wickets against Australia to 125.
"Whether that is playing week in, week out like I did when I was 26, 27, maybe not. But I'm old and experienced enough to know how to bowl on different pitches, how to get myself ready and right when chances come.
"I think when you haven't been playing, particularly at 35 years old, you realise how special it is. I've had points in my career where I've felt like I've always been playing. That's not happened in 2021 and it's my job to make that happen in 2022."
At the post-day press conference, Broad added: "I've still got a burning desire to play the sport. A few years ago I was umming and aahing and I spent a lot of time talking to my dad [former England opener Chris Broad].
When he has got a point to prove, he is often at his most dangerous. We've spoken a lot about his exclusion at Brisbane and setting the tone with his battle against David Warner. Getting two of the three big guns out in Steve Smith and Warner is crucial. Full credit to Stuart Broad, it's probably frustration that he hasn't played a bigger part in this series and when he has now played a part, The Ashes are gone."
"He had a great belief that you should play the sport you love for as long as you can. While the fire burns you should play because nothing replicates it in life.
"I think 2021 was my worst year for sure with intermittent cricket - I had a play one, miss one type experience - but bowling [in Sydney] made me relight that fire again.
"It's a great stadium, good atmosphere and I'm bowling at the world's best. This is what it's about. There's no better feeling than to do it in Ashes cricket."
Broad sat out the Brisbane and Melbourne Tests, with his sole appearance in this Ashes series before Sydney coming in the pink-ball second game in Adelaide.
Ollie Robinson's shoulder niggle handed Broad an opportunity at the SCG and he went on to dismiss David Warner, Steve Smith, Cameron Green, Pat Cummins and Khawaja in Australia's first innings.
He added: "It's frustrating when you miss out, particularly on pitches where you feel you have a positive influence. But no one has a given right to be in the side.
"You have to earn that and you can only do it with the right opportunities. That's top-flight sport and there are big decisions all around the world to be made on that sort of thing.
"What I can do is try my hardest to be ready if an opportunity comes. I don't feel I have particularly grabbed that chance - 5-101 is not something you are writing home about - but I felt I bowled pretty well within the plan of the group.
"My focus when I got picked was that this was great opportunity to play at one of my favourite grounds in the world. Can I run in all day and show a lot of heart?
"I would have preferred it to be a five-for where you bowl Australia out for 250 and really make a statement that way but there might be some more opportunities to do that."
Australia declared on 416-8 before England closed on 13-0 after a tricky five overs before stumps - Zak Crawley reprieved on nought by a Mitchell Starc no-ball after he edged to slip.
Broad praised England's endeavour with the ball and says the side's batters now have a great chance to "stamp their authority" after a trying series so far.
England's highest score is 297, while they were razed for 68 in their previous innings at the MCG last week.
Broad said: "I thought we stuck at our task pretty well as a bowling group. I think every seamer kept running in as hard as we could all day.
"I look at Mark Wood's last spell, he deserved two or three wickets in that spell alone - he bowled fantastically all day. Test cricket a lot of the time is about character and it was a day when we had to keep trucking in.
"It was Australia's day - there is a chance there that we could have bowled them out for 350 but it didn't quite work for us and 400 is always a psychological thing on the scoreboard.
"The pitch isn't misbehaving too much - there is a bit of uneven bounce with the new ball. There is nothing wrong with taking time to get in as once you are in and the ball gets softer you feel like you can score runs.
"We have a batting group who have been talking a lot and are desperate to stamp a bit of authority in Australia. There is an opportunity to do that.
"Honestly, it doesn't matter what bowlers you play if you're being bowled out for 140. It might be a bit brutal but that's the truth in Test cricket.
"Coming to Australia, first-innings runs are everything. We've failed to deliver that. You can dissect loads on this trip but we've failed to deliver that."
With the tourists toiling in Australia, and Bangladesh and South Africa picking up unexpected victories against New Zealand and India respectively, England have now dropped to the bottom of the World Test Championship.
In a new low for Joe Root's team, England sit ninth and last, having won just one of the seven Tests in the 2021-23 championship.
They have a chance to move off the bottom in the remaining two Tests against Australia, although New Zealand, sitting second bottom, can also improve their standing in the second Test against Bangladesh.
Australia and Sri Lanka lead the way with 100% records.
