Ashes 2023: Stuart Broad after farewell

As Stuart Broad wheeled away in the south London sunshine shortly before 6.30pm on Monday, it was hard to imagine how his final Test could have been choreographed any better.

The previous morning, he had hit the last ball he faced in Test cricket for six, a leg-side heave off Mitchell Starc. Now, with his final delivery, he had Alex Carey caught behind, helping England become the first team in Test history to share a series with Australia after going 2-0 down. Six and out: a Test cricketer’s dream.

Among the first to congratulate him was Jimmy Anderson, his new-ball buddy, who had just turned 41 and had already vowed to carry on, despite taking only five expensive wickets in four Tests.

Sir Don Bradman was dismissed for a duck, Javed Miandad got run-out and many great players slipped at the last hurdle. To perform and equally contribute to a team victory is the stuff of dreams and Stuart Broad precisely did that at the Oval under the London skies on Monday.

Anderson’s surgical precision and poetic ruminations, and Broad’s in-your-face attitude and ability to hustle, proved a combination that always tested rival batters. Anderson is obviously on the wane while Broad has decided that it is time to hang up his boots and perhaps catch up on golf and slip back into the commentator’s box.

The player who turned down the opportunity to go after cricket’s riches in the lucrative Indian Premier League for a mere chance at playing Test cricket for England, saw it pay off. Woakes was the most dangerous bowler at the time England needed wickets the most, and it is very rare that someone who plays just three Tests takes the prize as the player of the series.

Broad enjoyed a fairytale end to his career, smashing a six off the final ball he faced and then taking the wicket of Alex Carey to win the Test match and level the Ashes with the final ball he bowled.

while Broad's fans and teammates will miss his exploits on the pitch, Stokes' wife will miss him letting her know that her husband has made it home safe after a team night out. Speaking in his post-match press conference, Stokes said: "When he announced his retirement and I told my wife that this was going to be his last game she was like, 'Oh, Broady is the one who messages me saying that Ben's got home safe after a good night out'.

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Sarah H 

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