Stuart Broad weighs up his future in Test cricket after 'very disappointing' omission from Ashes matches

Stuart Broad has indicated that he will consider retiring from Test cricket at the end of the Ashes after the "very disappointing" decision to leave him out of two of three matches in the series.

England's second most successful bowler has said the tour had not met his "personal expectation" after he was dropped for the opening Test in Brisbane and the Boxing Day game at Melbourne.

Broad said that while his hunger for playing Test cricket had not diminished, the decision not to use him on two of the best "wobble-seam pitches in Australia" had left him considering his future.

Writing in his Mail on Sunday column, Broad said: "The biggest frustration is losing the Ashes, being 3-0 down and feeling like I've not really done anything. Not being able, as an experienced player, to influence a series while it's live is tough.

"There is a long time between now and the tour of the Caribbean in March and I have never been one to make emotional decisions. So I'm not going to make any spur of the moment calls on my future.

"I feel fit, I've come back from the calf injury feeling strong and I'm taking wickets in the nets. That's all I can do given the lack of tour games and the tight schedule."

Broad became only the 10th cricketer to play 150 test matches when he took to the field in Adelaide but his inclusion along with James Anderson was not enough to prevent a crushing defeat under the floodlights. In the match, Broad claimed two wickets, one in either innings, and conceded 100 runs.

Broad's omission has become a source of criticism for England captain Joe Root and head coach Chris Silverwood throughout the series, with some questioning why he was not picked following his strong record against Australian opener David Warner.

Writing in the Telegraph after Broad was dropped for the Boxing Day Test, Michael Vaughan said: "Stuart Broad should be playing here [in Melbourne], he should’ve played in Brisbane.

"How Stuart Broad is not going to be bowling around the wicket to David Warner on a green top, I just can’t fathom that with the quality that he brings."

Chris Silverwood tests positive

Elsewhere today preparations for the fourth Test were further affected by Covid after after it emerged that two of the net bowlers at the SCG learned that they had tested positive while bowling at the England batsmen.

The bowlers left as soon as they found out but it left England without any other net bowlers because all the others had to leave as they were deemed close contacts.

It has also been confirmed that Chris Silverwood, the head coach, has tested positive for Covid making it nine in the England camp to have contracted the virus in the past week. He was already isolating after one of his family members tested positive and has remained in Melbourne. He is asymptomatic and fully vaccinated. He will rejoin England in Hobart for the fifth Test.

The virus has ripped through England’s coaching staff, with only three available — Graham Thorpe, Ant Botha and James Foster — to work with the players as they somehow look to recover from losing the third Test by an innings.England’s attempt to bring in Adam Hollioake as emergency coaching cover was dashed today when he was identified as a close contact of a positive case.

Glenn McGrath has also tested positive and is likely to miss the whole of the Sydney Test which is a major fundraiser for his charitable foundation, set up in the memory of his late wife. Spectators are encouraged to dress in pink on day three of the Test: Jane McGrath Day. McGrath is hoping he will be out of quarantine in time for day three.

England trained after the net bowlers left the group with players turning into coaches to help give each other throw-downs.

The covid crisis in Sydney has delayed the results of tests coming back. England had a seventh PCR test in eight days today before fully learning the results of those done yesterday. Sydney’s testing centres are buckling under the number of people requesting tests. Chemists have sold out of lateral flow tests as well.

Cricket Australia has not explained how the two net bowlers were allowed to go to the SCG before returning a negative test result. But the governing body explained that both bowlers had recently recovered from Covid infections "and therefore did not pose any risk to the England playing group".

“We've been observing the protocols and trying to stay safe. It hasn't really changed. We're sticking to what the doctors have told us. We've managed to catch the cases early so we've been lucky not to have any players go down,” said Zak Crawley. “Personally I would [be happy with going into a bubble]. We haven't got long left. I can't speak for everyone but I want to play the two Tests, I don't want a situation where I miss a Test.”

Australian cricket feeling Covid strain

Australia have lost batsman Travis Head for the game and the match referee, David Boon, is also isolating after testing positive.

The covid outbreak has hit the Big Bash hard. Melbourne Stars called up five players from club cricket to help fill out their squad today for the match against Perth Scorchers after 10 players tested positive. Cricket Australia is now considering setting up a hub in Melbourne, where there are four grounds, to play the remainder of the tournament.

England have also recalled their T20 players from the Big Bash a couple of days early. Sam Billings, Saqib Mahmood, Tymal Mills, Reece Topley, James Vince and George Garton will fly home and isolate before going to the West Indies for a T20 series that starts on Jan 22 in Barbados. They were due to be home by Jan 7 but their departure has been brought forward by a couple of days.