The Ashes 2023: Stuart Broad Influence Another Contest With Australia Late On Day Four

• Stuart Broad ended the day bent double in the middle of the Edgbaston field.

The Hollies Stand, Edgbaston’s 6,000-strong stag do, rose because England’s ‘Mr Ashes’ had done it again.

The battle with Australia is in Broad’s blood.

He was crawling in nappies when his dad, Chris, put England’s oldest enemy to the sword in their own back yard in 1986-87.

In 2009, Broad junior made the first mark of his own on the contest, securing the urn with the first of his trademark spells at The Oval.

From Brisbane to Nottingham – enemy number one to taking 8-15 – Broad has continued to influence an era of Ashes cricket.

Fourteen years on, the long blond locks have gone, a bandana has been gained, but the sense of theatre – the ability to pump the knees and grab an occasion – has not changed nor been diminished.

In south London, two of Australia’s greatest, Ricky Ponting and Michael Clarke, were among his 5-37.

In Birmingham, it was Marnus Labuschagne and Steve Smith, the batters ranked first and second in the world.

Australia were 77-1 when England captain Ben Stokes turned back to Broad, the tourists’ target of 281 easing forward from the horizon at a speed quick enough to cause the stomach to sink.

Within four balls he had sent Labuschagne back to the dressing room with his bat under his arm for the second time in the match and, with a wave of his right hand, Broad whipped the Hollies into a frenzy.

Ten balls to Smith later, having conceded from just one scoring shot, Broad removed Australia’s living legend too.

It swung a gripping Test back towards England while making the Edgbaston terrace shake amid sun-soaked, alcohol-fuelled celebration.

“Coming into that I just thought if I whack the pitch as hard as I can, get a bit of movement and create a bit of theatre,” Broad said.

The adrenalin that had propelled him to the crease was now causing words to gush at his end-of-day news conference.

“Ashes cricket is just magical,” he said.

“I loved every second of that last hour. It was so good running in and hearing that roar.”

The wickets of Australia’s big two came on the biggest stage but were produced during the Nottinghamshire spring.

In April, he spoke of a new outswinger, specifically made for this occasion.

“It’s designed, to be honest, for Marnus and Smith,” Broad said then.

He nicked Labuschagne off with that very delivery in the first innings. Whether these in the Monday afternoon sun were the same, only Broad will know.

Regardless, a blow has been struck in two of the battles that may be decisive when a series which promises to be epic reaches its conclusion.

“That would be nice, wouldn’t it?” Broad said, when asked if he had got into their pair’s heads.

The words may not have said much, but the glint in the eye did.

“It was good for the little plan I came up with a few months ago to pay off in the first Test,” Broad added after a pause.

“They have scored a lot runs against us as a group so to see the back of them without too much damage is awesome.

“They are players you have to bowl slightly differently to because their techniques are slightly different to other players.

“If you bowl the same ball they are so set up to playing that. Changing where you are on the crease, the style of ball you bowl – that is a good thing to do.”

England may yet need another Broad spell if they are to leave Edgbaston with a 1-0 series lead. 174 runs stand between Australia and the winning line. The hosts need seven wickets on a pitch as helpful as broken leg.

“Tomorrow is one of those days when both teams will come to the ground with a genuine belief they can win the game which is a great place for Test match cricket to be,” Broad said.

The bowler does not need another day out to have his place in Ashes history – that is long secured.

It does not mean he will stop trying.