Stuart Broad knows that Australia will be dangerous on day five at Edgbaston; Australia need a further 174 runs to win the first Ashes Test at Edgbaston with England requiring seven wickets ; watch day five live on Sky Sports on Tuesday (10.15am on air, 11am start)
Tuesday 20 June 2023 10:24, UK
Stuart Broad insists there is still a lot of dangerous Australia batsmen for England to face as the first Test of the Ashes heads into a nail-biting fifth day at Edgbaston.
England set Australia a target of 281 to win the first Test, but late breakthroughs from Ollie Robinson and Broad helped keep the hosts, who need seven wickets on the final day in the contest.
After England were all out for 273, David Warner and Usman Khawaja, a first-innings centurion, helped Australia make ideal start with a half-century opening partnership on a lifeless surface.
While Warner escaped the clutches of his nemesis Broad this time, he was out for 36 after nicking off to Robinson.
But there was no keeping Broad out of the game as he kissed the outside edges of Marnus Labuschagne and Steve Smith, ranked respectively at one and two in the Test batting rankings.
Despite removing some of the top Australian batsmen, Broad knows there is still a lot of talent to dismiss if England want to beat the world No 1 ranked Test side and claim victory in the first Test.
"It's all set up to be a fantastic day," Broad said. "We're obviously delighted to have Warner, Marnus and Smith back in the pavilion because they're world class players.
"But we know the Aussies have got a lot of danger to come so we've got to be right on the money.
"I don't think any batter is going to come in and say it's a fantastic pitch to bat on. It's turgid and hard to time the ball on. And no bowler's going to say it's not carrying or moving particularly.
"It's a hard working pitch, you've got to create pressure and hit the pitch as hard as you can."
Broad is also hoping for some inclement weather on day five to boost England's chances after Australia's success under cloud cover on day three.
Scott Boland and Australia captain Pat Cummins managed to remove England openers Zak Crawley and Ben Duckett just before rain stopped play and Broad admitted he would enjoy a similar spell for England on the final day.
"There is still two results on the table I think," said Broad.
"The intent from ball one was pretty clear.
"We are not a results driven team in any way, shape, or form and you almost add pressure on yourself when you set targets of what you want to achieve.
"This could have been a draw on this type of pitch so us forcing the game forward makes a result possible tomorrow.
"I think there is supposed to be a bit of cloud around tomorrow.
"We saw how much it zipped around when there was the cloud the other day.
"If you can get lucky as a bowling group and get an hour of that you can bring the game home pretty quickly.
"We feel pretty confident we can go and get 7 wickets and if we turn up tomorrow and there is a bit of cloud, I will have a smile on my face."
Ex-Australia captain and Sky Sports Cricket pundit Ricky Ponting believes Stuart Broad's spell, dismissing Smith and Labuschagne, has kept England's hopes in the first Test alive after Australia had wrestled the momentum.
"Right through the course of this game it has gone back and forth between either side," said Ponting.
"England were very dominant on day one, Australia found a way to get back into it and Khawaja was outstanding.
"At the start of this fourth innings, 50-0, everything is looking good, then enter Stuart Broad with a couple of big wickets his team needed.
"His team needed that spell and the Series needed that spell because it looked like it was slipping away.
"You can't predict anything. It takes one innings."
Watch day four of the first Ashes Test, from Edgbaston, live on Sky Sports Cricket on Monday. Build-up starts at 10.15am ahead of the first ball at 11am. Do not miss it!