“Need 2 or 3 batters to be heroic”- Stuart Broad asserts England can save 2nd Ashes Test

Veteran England pacer Stuart Broad feels that the visitors can still escape with a draw in the second Ashes Test in Adelaide if two to three batters come up with ‘heroic’ performances.

With two days left in the pink-ball Test, England are in big trouble. They were bowled out for 236 on Saturday, handing the Aussies a massive 237-run first-innings lead. Australia did not enforce the follow-on and ended the day at 45 for 1, extending their lead to 282.

Reflecting on England’s situation in the Adelaide Test, Broad asserted that it is possible to bat four sessions to save the game since the pitch is not misbehaving. In his column for the Daily Mail, Broad wrote:

“Now, we need to hold the game as long as possible — although the ball is turning, it's not misbehaving for the seamers in the slightest, so can we bat four sessions? Absolutely. Can we save it? Yes. We just need two or three batters to be heroic."

Admitting that it would be very difficult for England to make a comeback into the five-Test series from 0-2 down, Broad conceded that the team’s batting has been a let-down. He added:

“It would be a long way back from 2-0 down when we need to win the series to reclaim the urn and we haven't fired with bat or ball yet. We've collapsed three times and Australia have scored 400 twice. We need to change things pretty quickly.”

England have registered scores of 147, 297 and 236 in the three innings they have played during the ongoing Ashes so far. In contrast, Australia scored 425 in the first innings in Brisbane and 473 for 9 declared in the first essay in Adelaide.

According to Broad, Pat Cummins being ruled out of the Test had the potential to be the Glenn McGrath 2005 moment of this Ashes. However, he felt for that to happen, England needed to bat first. Broad explained:

“I thought Pat Cummins being ruled out of the second Test through pandemic protocols had the potential to be the Glenn McGrath 2005 moment of this Ashes. One-nil down, the opposition's best bowler misses the game in freak circumstance. But for similarities to McGrath standing on the ball at Edgbaston 16 years ago to be retained, we had to bat first.”

Australia made 221 for 2 on Day 1 of the second Test after winning the toss. They carried on the good work on Day 2 as well.

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“Jaw is sore after a well-aimed bouncer from Jhye Richardson” - Stuart Broad

Broad was the last man to be dismissed in England’s first innings on Saturday. During his 17-ball stay, he was struck on the helmet by a bouncer from Jhye Richardson.

Sharing that his jaw is sore, Broad revealed:

“The delivery in question took my left thumbnail off and then hit the bottom of the grille of my helmet. Credit to the protective gear because although it's in the bin now — as you can't reuse helmets after being struck — it did its job brilliantly.”

Broad registered figures of 1 for 73 from 26 overs in Australia’s first innings. He was surprisingly left out of the playing XI for the first Test.