Sharpshooting spells and iconic Ashes antics will be Stuart Broad’s legacy

Thank you for the memories, Stuart Broad, aka Broady, Stu, Nighthawk, master of the celebrappeals, rent‑free occupant of Australian heads and, it turns out in a late Broad-esque flourish, flagrant disregarder of Sunday newspaper timings.

Although the fourth estate can’t have had any grumbles about the late‑breaking news on day three. Ever since this blue-eyed, blond‑haired son of an Ashes winner set off, legs pumping, on a career of surging spells, he has been great copy and a regular back-page bandit. But then when you take more than 600 Test wickets, and are one half of the highest wicket‑taking duo in Test history with Jimmy Anderson, you’re kinda bound to be.

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Because here’s the thing. Broad may be an erudite, hugely quotable analyst in post-match press conferences and interviews (now heading to be the same in a commentary box); a guy assured enough to speak his mind about pretty much anything, be it rival, teammate, umpiring decision or national selector. But not without first and foremost being the bowler; the stone-cold seam-up sharpshooter who sniffs the air, senses the moment and then neutralises the entire situation for the benefit of his team.

Things like arguing with a robot camera in Hobart, the bandana, the unilateral voiding of the entire Ashes series or even flipping bails to successfully induce a wicket at the Oval on Friday – these are the just the meme-able, sometimes mind-bending silver linings of a career built on skill, hunger and longevity. The junior batter who shot up one summer and through sheer will and fastidious cricketing intellect became a seam-bowling great.

There were advantages: a Test cricketer for a father in Chris Broad, a good education at Oakham, Leicestershire’s pathway, Nottinghamshire’s Test facilities and, perhaps most importantly, England central contracts. But this has still been quite something. Born with one underdeveloped lung and asthmatic with it, Broad has been taking international poles for 17 years and a sustained match‑winner with it. Even in this current Ashes series, his ninth and last aged 37, he’s played all five matches and been elite.

You almost forget that as a T20 World Cup-winner in 2010 with 243 wickets in limited-overs internationals, he had an enviable career with the white-ball until, aged 29, Eoin Morgan deemed him and Anderson surplus to the revolution. But like his preferred drink of an evening, it was all about the red anyway. After a couple of T20 dalliances in his thirties, Broad increasingly saw little value in taking out sloggers. Unpicking, out-skilling or out-willing batters in Test cricket? This was, as he recently put it, an addiction.

But then even in Test cricket and a career of 167 caps since his debut in Sri Lanka in 2007, one that brought hat-tricks against India and Sri Lanka, there have been wickets that are primus inter pares; Australian wickets, of which he has 151 at the time of writing, more than any other bowler in history. Broad was always drawn to the white heat of Ashes cricket, its folklore and storylines. And with four Ashes wins and eight Ashes five-fers – not to mention panto villain status after the near-universal act of simply not walking for an edge – he well and truly wrote himself into both.

And then there is the day that topped the lot. The first morning of all first mornings, the one that brought an MBE and, even better, if you’re into them, led to a tram being named after him: the dream‑like eight for 15 at Trent Bridge in 2015 that made sashimi of Australia at 60 all out and effectively sealed the urn before lunch. It will remain England’s most recent Ashes series victory after this week but win, lose, or draw this fifth Test he will walk off the Oval an Ashes champion.

That giddy performance across the road from his beloved Nottingham Forest was the apex mountain for a super-fit and robust right‑armer never more in his element than when there was nip and carry to exploit. And when he vaporised South Africa the following winter, that electric six for 17 at the Wanderers including five for one in 31 balls, not only did it seal yet another series at the clutch moment, it propelled him to No 1 in the world Test bowling rankings. This period was the Broad supremacy.

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As well as a batter of early promise who hit a Test century, then faded and yet still produced moments, there have been a good few versions of the bowler. A bustling young beanpole initially corralled into an enforcer role before a breakthrough, series‑sealing Ashes in 2009, he has had to constantly innovate to stay at the sharp end. It helped to have Anderson there in tandem, a partnership and friendship which began with the Lancastrian taking one look at the floppy blond hair and thinking, “Nah, he’s not my cup of tea”. They have spurred one another on, nerdishly shared all the intricacies of their craft and been intertwined until this late parting of the ways.

Like any long career there were low periods, chastening moments, the odd quiet tour and an aversion to the subcontinent. Six sixes struck off a single over by Yuvraj Singh in the 2007 World T20 was brushed off remarkably well but circa 2017-18 came a crossroads: all his success to left-handers from around the wicket had compromised the wrist position, reducing all effectiveness at the right‑handers. At 32, he could have been pensioned off and personally sated all the same, yet he reinvented himself once more, seeking technical advice from Sir Richard Hadlee and implementing it.

Eight for 15 v Australia, Trent Bridge 2015
Undoubtedly Broad's finest hour, this was perhaps among the most memorable feats in Ashes history. Bowling unchanged from the pavilion end on his home ground, Broad routed Australia almost single-handedly in the space of 57 deliveries. He had Chris Rogers caught at slip with his third ball, and doubled up when Steve Smith also fell in his first over. Broad finished with figures of 9.3-5-15-8, and Australia were blown away for 60 all out in 18.3 overs.

Hat-trick hero, 2011 and 2014
Broad is the only Englishman with two Test hat-tricks to his name. His first came against India 12 years ago, and again on his home ground in Nottingham. England were on their way to No 1 in the world under Andrew Strauss, and Broad did his bit when he had MS Dhoni flashing an attempted drive to second slip and Harbhajan Singh lbw, before bowling Praveen Kumar. Broad repeated the dose three years later, this time against Sri Lanka at Headingley with the successive scalps of Kumar Sangakkara, Dinesh Chandimal and Shaminda Eranga.

Six for 17 v South Africa, Johannesburg 2016
This was another unstoppable Broad special. England had eked out a 10-run first-innings lead at the Wanderers, but Dean Elgar and Stiaan van Zyl looked ready to hit back until Broad seized the moment again. In under 10 overs, he had the first five wickets – and added Faf du Plessis last out, caught-and-bowled, as South Africa mustered just 83. England went on to win by seven wickets inside three days.

Five for 71 & six for 50 v Australia, Chester-le-Street 2013
The Ashes were again in Broad's sights, and he made no mistake. His five first-innings wickets restricted Australia to a 32-run lead. In the second innings, the tourists reached 168 for two in pursuit of 299. Broad stepped in, finishing with six for 50 as Michael Clarke's men lost their last eight wickets for 56 and England clinched a series win.

Six for 31 & four for 36, v West Indies, Old Trafford 2020
Broad won player of the match, player of the series, took a 10-wicket match haul and become just the seventh bowler in history to claim 500 Test dismissals (his total is now 602, fifth on the all-time list). His name was all over this encounter, even chipping in 62 with the bat for good measure. After the match he made it clear the landmark was not a parting gift to English cricket and he has lived up to his word, playing on for three more years.

Five for 37, v Australia, The Oval 2009
A young Broad's calling card to the world game. With the Ashes on the line he elbowed aside the likes of Andrew Flintoff and Steve Harmison to take matters into his hands. From 73 without loss, he ran a wrecking ball through the Australian batting order as they slipped to 160 all out. They never reclaimed the momentum and the urn came home.

The latter-day Broad has been irrepressible, be it the start of that outright dominance of David Warner in the 2019 Ashes, or the fire in his belly in 2020 after being left out of the first Test in the Covid summer. Since that pointed diary room rant on Sky – Ed Smith his mark – Broad has taken 117 Test wickets at 24. Even being left out of the Caribbean tour that came after the 2021-22 Ashes debacle couldn’t stop him, Broad instantly restored by Ben Stokes and becoming a central pillar of the bucket hat, Bazball era.

And now here is one last hit of uncut Broad-ness before he heads to the pundits’ chair and enjoys life in south London with Mollie and Annabella, a retirement call timed to put even more momentum behind his team as they look to square this thrilling series. England supporters will never forget him, while Australian equivalents have been won over by the qualities they expect of their own. He has been some cricketer.