5 best Stuart Broad knocks in Tests

Stuart Broad dropped a bombshell after the end of play on Day 3 of the ongoing final Ashes Test, annoucing that he will retire from the sport at the end of the game.

A veteran of 167 Tests, Broad became just the second fast bowler to breach the 600-wicket mark in the format after his long time partner-in-crime James Anderson during the fourth Ashes Test in Manchester. Batting overnight on 2, he will look to sign off on a high and help England square the series.

Speaking of his batting, Broad has often stepped up and delivered during moments of strife for England. He has struck 13 half-centuries and a century in the format at an average of 18, which was once in excess of 24 before it took a nosedive.

Either way, his impact as a lower-order batter who counter-attacked at will has been undeniably massive for England in Tests. As Broad readies himself to walk into the sunset of international cricket, here's a look back at his five best innings in Test cricket.

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#5 64 vs New Zealand in Nottingham, 2008

Stuart Broad played an outstanding hand with the bat against New Zealand at Trent Bridge in 2008 (File image).

England entered the third and final Test against New Zealand in 2008 with a 1-0 lead under their belt. They were asked to bat first by the visitors and ended the opening day on 273/7, with Broad and bowling partner-in-crime James Anderson batting together.

They resumed their innings the next morning, and what followed was a solid partnership that frustrated the Kiwis. Broad was the more fluent of the two in terms of run-scoring as he struck 10 boundaries in his 132-ball 64, even as Anderson's vigil lasted 85 deliveries for 28.

A 76-run partnership is what they put up for the eighth wicket, with England eventually bowled out for 364. It went a long way in sealing an innings victory, and Broad's maiden half-century in Tests was a sign of what was to come off his bat in the following years.

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#4 62 vs West Indies in Manchester, 2020

The first international series in the bio-bubble world enforced by the COVID-19 pandemic saw England face West Indies at home in a three-Test rubber. With the series leveled at 1-1, everything was on the line ahead of the final Test in Manchester.

England were placed beautifully at 262/4 on the second morning after being asked to bat by the West Indies. They suffered an alarming collapse, though, and lost the next four wickets for 18 runs. Broad then took matters into his own hands with an incredible counter-attack, blazing away at the rate of knots.

With Dom Bess hanging around with him, the left-hander raced away to a half-century off just 33 deliveries before being cleaned up for a 45-ball 62 as England finished on 269. He wasn't to be stopped with the ball either as he blew the Windies away with a 10-wicket match haul that sealed the series for the hosts.

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#3 67* vs South Africa in Leeds, 2008

After the first Test of the four-match series was drawn, England and South Africa entered Leeds in a bid to wrest the lead in their favor. The Proteas floored the hosts throughout the Test, though, bowling them out for 203 before butchering 522 with the bat.

With a 318-run deficit in front of them in the second innings, England lost wickets at regular intervals to stare at an innings defeat. Broad walked in at 220/7 and had to witness the departure of Andrew Flintoff soon after. The former took the attack to the bowlers with nothing to lose on the fourth day, even as Monty Panesar was soon castled.

Darren Pattinson was the last man standing, and Broad continued to plunder quick runs off the seamers as he racked up a half-century off just 41 deliveries. He continued with his charge and ensured that South Africa had to bat again. However, their target was a mere 9 after Broad remained stranded on an unbeaten 60-ball 67.

England lost the Test, of course, but under the circumstances, it was an incredible innings from Broad that helped them avoid the embarrassment of an innings defeat.

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#2 64 vs India in Nottingham, 2011

Stuart Broad hit out at will in the Trent Bridge Test of 2011.

England entered the second Test against India in 2011 on the back of a solid victory at Lord's but had crumbled to 88/6 after Lunch on the opening day. It soon became 124/8 as the hosts were looming at the prospect of being rolled over for a total under 150.

But then, Broad happened. In one of his typical counter-punches, he tore into the Indian seamers and frustrated them with an incredible innings, forging useful partnerships with Graeme Swann and Anderson. Harbhajan Singh finally removed him for a 66-ball 64 although England managed to post 221, which was substantial given how they were placed.

India were cruising with the bat as they took the lead before Broad stunned them with a hat-trick to restrict the deficit to 67. Once England then piled up 544 at the second time of asking, there was no avoiding a resounding victory. And it was all set up by the pacer's brilliance with the bat on the first day.

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#1 169 vs Pakistan at Lord's, 2010

England led the four-match series in 2010 against Pakistan 2-1 ahead of the final encounter at Lord's. They were in absolute shambles, though, as Mohammad Amir ripped their batting lineup apart to have them reeling at 102/7.

Broad joined hands with Jonathan Trott and then began a marathon vigil. The duo didn't necessarily bat in attritional fashion as they kept the runs coming whenever possible to have a fluent partnership going. Pakistan were clearly frustrated, and soon, Broad stepped on the gas even as Trott continued to bat at a measured pace.

The left-hander notched up his maiden Test century as he accelerated from 50 to 100 in the space of just 59 deliveries. The misery continued for the Pakistani bowlers, who went from unplayable to toothless as they were subjected to an eight-wicket stand of 332.

Broad departed for 169, and Pakistan could not recover from that as they surrendered to an embarrassing innings defeat.

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Which of these knocks from Stuart Broad is your favorite? Have your say in the comments section below!

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