Stuart Broad's memorable milestones in Test cricket
All the years of gruelling drills finally paid off when Stuart Broad registered his 500th Test scalp in the third Test against West Indies. From conceding 6 sixes in an over to emerging as one of the best seam bowlers in the longest format, it has been a rather arduous journey for Broad. In this article, we take a look at his significant milestones.
Broad dismissed West Indies opener Kraigg Brathwaite on the final day to clinch his 500th Test wicket. He became the fourth fast bowler and second from England to do so. Overall, he is seventh bowler to have attained the feat after Muttiah Muralitharan (800), Shane Warne (708), Anil Kumble (619), James Anderson (589), Glenn McGrath (563) and Courtney Walsh (519).
Broad owns a best innings figures of 8/15 in Test cricket. He claimed the phenomenal figures in the Trent Bridge Test of 2015 Ashes. He ran through the batting line-up as the Australian innings dismantled on mere 60. It is still the second-best innings figures for an England seamer after Devon Malcolm (9/57). Moreover, it is also the third-best figures in the Ashes history.
Broad is one of the four bowlers and the only England player to take two hat-tricks in Test cricket. His first hat-trick came against India in the 2011 Trent Bridge Test wherein he dismissed MS Dhoni, Harbhajan Singh and Praveen Kumar. In 2014, he grabbed another against SL at Leeds. Other bowlers on the list are Hugh Trumble, Jimmy Mathews and Wasim Akram.
Broad is the only England bowler to have taken 20+ wickets across four Ashes series. He reached the landmark in the 2019 edition, having scalped 23 wickets. Overall, Glenn McGrath, Dennis Lillee, Bill O'Reilly and Shane Warne have achieved this feat. Besides, Broad is also the third-highest wicket-taker (118) from England in the Ashes history after Ian Botham (128) and Bob Willis (123).
Broad has snapped up a five-for in a single spell on seven different occasions. Since 2001, no other fast bowler has achieved the feat as many times. Only Australian great Glenn McGrath has done so six times.
During last year's Ashes, Broad dismissed David Warner on seven occasions, taking the overall tally to 12. Interestingly, he has dismissed four batsmen 10 or more times in Test cricket. These are David Warner (12), Michael Clarke (11), AB de Villiers (10) and Ross Taylor (10). Among the active cricketers, no other bowler has dismissed more than two batsmen at least ten times.
Broad and James Anderson are the most successful fast bowlers in modern day cricket. The duo shares 895 wickets from 117 Tests at 26.61. However, Broad has finally emerged out of Anderson's shadow. He has been England's leading wicket-taker (103) since 2018, while Anderson remains the second-best (67). Nonetheless, the former would want to make the most of his prime in the impending assignments.
