Not that long ago I took Stuart Broad into a high-pressure situation to see how he would go.
I’ve seen Stuart Broad bowl in 3 test matches now.
The first one was against South Africa at the Oval, and while I wasn’t that impressed, he did take wickets.
The second one was against the Windies, and cannot be really used as an example of test cricket.
The third one was at Lord’s last week, and I noticed one thing, when Broad bowls, the pressure that Anderson or Flintoff has cultivated seems to not be present at his end.
He isn’t so much a bowler who lets the pressure go, but someone who puts it on hold while he is bowling.
On Monday it went to a crazy level, while I was ignoring anyone who wasn’t Freddie I did notice Broad bowling from the other end.
Not for a good reason, but because he was so benign.
Australia’s tail was in, he had a reasonably new ball in his hand, and there was no spark.
I almost always feel that way watching him bowl.
He has no presence, no bowling anima. He is lifeless at the crease.
Yes, Nasser, we know that he is clever, but sometimes being clever isn’t enough.
He is a professional at the crease; he has no animal about him. He is not wild, strong or powerful. There is no menace, no vibe, and no strength.
He is just a bowler who tries things.
I thought that every time he came on at Lord’s, it almost felt like nothing was going to happen.
Nothing bad for England, nothing bad for Australia.
Just nothing.
So far he has 4 wickets at 60 in this series.
Jrod, you’re getting it completely wrong. He is The Batsman Stuart Broad. Look at the cover drives, more pleasing on the eye than Katharine Jenkins’ cleavage. He’s a cricketing version of Sean and Julian Lennon, do not forget this.
If you do not refer to him as The Batsman Stuart Broad, you are incorrectly identifying this man.
> more pleasing on the eye than Katharine Jenkins’ cleavage
Man, you need to get a grip on reality.
Ian Chappell was saying approximately the same thing on TMS at the time. I am not sure what it is about Broad, sometimes he is exceptional but, as you say, generally he is a bit nondiscript.
Rob, to truly get a grip on reality as you suggested, what I did was go and purchase Katherine’s latest album, ambled to the public lavatory, relieved the CD of its sleeve notes and harmonised my chords of liquid silk with her poetry.
This gave me no further insight on reality, The Batsman Stuard Broad or her mezzo-soprano abilities. I did however notice that public lavatories have stopped using that greaseproof paper that used to rip your arse to shreds.
Gigi – whatever you think of Broad the batsmen, Broad the bowler is that greaseproof paper that used to rip your arse to shreds.
My scrolling finger’s struggling to cope with the line-spacing on this site of late.
leave young stuart alone you meanies. his work experience is nearly up.
An intense level of disapointment comes over me whenever broad starts bowling. I mean he just doesn’t seem to do anything with a cricket ball. Doesn’t even seem to get much bounce despite the fact that he lets the ball go nearly 8 foot up.
Perhaps young Broad needs to reinvent himself (already) – a beard perhaps? or maybe they could get Merv Hughes in as a consultant.
In support of King Cricket, is extended use of the return key now an accepted symptom of Styris Virus (H1N1)?