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Stuart Broad marked his first day as the new poster boy of English sport by insisting that he is more interested in runs and wickets than film
premieres and fashion shoots.
Broad's outstanding performance in England's Ashes-clinching win over Australia yesterday coupled with his Beckham-esque looks means the 23-year-old's profile is likely to rocket off the field as much as on it. But at this early stage, he is showing little interest in the benefits of celebrity status, preferring to concentrate on becoming one of the world's premier all-rounders. Broad, the son of former England Test batsman Chris, said: It's an exciting time, but my life won't change not in my mind. My dad has always said that cricket must come first.
If I can make myself a better cricketer, then the rest is history. Yes, my profile will be raised, but that is not going to help me score runs or take wickets.
I would like to think I am a pretty good judge of character, and I have good people around me who will keep me grounded. I have to perform for England for the off-field things to happen to me. I want to play 100 Tests for England, and play my part in helping us to win World Cups and Ashes seriesin Australia.
Broad is the natural successor to Andrew Flintoff, who has urged England to use their stunning Ashes triumph as a springboard towards world domination. Flintoff, who is booked in tonight for a knee operation that will keep him out of action for several months, has now retired from Test cricket but is no doubt the team can go on to even bigger and better things.
We've won the Ashes, which is fantastic, said Flintoff, who admitted to having a good celebration last night but looked a lot less hung-over than the bleary-eyed hero of 2005. If there is a lesson to be learned from the past then it's that now is the time to try to dominate the world of cricket as a Test team.
We've got the players to do it and the captain to lead us in Andrew Strauss, and it is a realistic goal. There is going to be a big test in the winter against South Africa and there are a lot of challenges in front of the team. But, with what we've got, we can live up to them.
Reader views (1)
well done STUART, like many aussies i was sending telepathic messages to Ponting, 'tell these idiots to bowl like Broard, please' ! but we were ignored. Mitchell Johnson bowled to 3rd slip instead of the wicket. I watched as pom batsmen had to take a good pace sideways to reach the ball. Meanwhile a class strike bowler, Brett Lee sat in the bleachers because he hadn't played a few more games after injury recovery. AND how could any aussie captain go into a U.K test without a spinner...Ponting did. Finally, i've been so frustrated at Ponting for ages, for not having protection in the gully when lower order men are batting, it's the bleeding obvious.One game i saw him stand there like a dummy,as 4 x4's were nicked there in 2 overs, as if that was normal (16 runs in 2 overs off 4 balls). i was so pleased to hear David Gower say the same thing. Ponting for the high jump, Michael Clarke to lead, he's active and a good thinker,actually nearly every time Clarke has captained a team, we've seen a different style of game. Ah well, 2 more years of frustration.But you blokes know all about that, don't you ?
- Max Shean, sydney australia, 25/08/2009 06:11
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