West Indies 197 (Holder 46, Broad 6-31) and 10 for 2 (Broad 2-8) need a further 389 to beat England 369 and 226 for 2 declared (Burns 90, Root 68*, Sibley 56)
You know those times – hopefully they’re rare – when someone says or does something to offend you and you walk away, seething and speechless. You play it over in your mind and then, much later, you think of the perfect comeback: “I should have said this. If only I’d said that. I wish I’d shown ’em.”
Stuart Broad had the chance few of us get to set that person we think has wronged us straight and he took it, more than once.
Left out of the England side for the first Test, won by West Indies at the Ageas Bowl, Broad made it clear in an interview during the game that he wasn’t happy about it. It probably wasn’t to everyone’s liking, almost certainly not the selectors, but it was decent PR for Broad – he was hungry, driven and eloquent. But he wasn’t done there.
“And another thing…” Broad may as well have said has he backed up words with action, his new-ball burst of 3 for 1 from 14 balls helping set up England’s victory in the second Test.
“And another thing…” Broad may as well have said as he whacked West Indies’ bowlers round Emirates Old Trafford en route to the equal third-fastest fifty in England Test history on the second day of the deciding match of the series. His 62 from 45 balls batting at No. 9 lifted England’s first-innings total to 369 after a mini-collapse on the second morning had left the hosts 280 for 8.
“And another thing…” Broad only went and took 6 for 31 to help bowl West Indies out for 197 in reply before lunch on Sunday, still 172 runs adrift.
England’s batsmen rallied round their mate to ensure Broad’s retorts were rammed home, Rory Burns, Joe Root and Dom Sibley all adding their own “take thats” as they each passed 50 in guiding their side to a 398-run lead.
Burns fell short of a hundred, caught sweeping for 90 to go with his first-innings 57, before England declared their second innings at 226 for 2. Burns shared a 114-run partnership with Sibley – the first for England’s openers at home since 2016 – and then another 112 with Root, who remained not out after an momentum-stealing knock of 68 off 56 balls.
With England needing to win the match to reclaim the Wisden Trophy, their tactics were in part dictated by a poor forecast for Monday.
It meant West Indies had to face six overs before the close, and of course it was Broad who helped England make strides towards their goal of taking ten wickets. He had opener John Campbell caught by Root at first slip for a third-ball duck and then removed nightwatchman Kemar Roach, caught behind, to move to 499 Test wickets before stumps.
Broad began the day with two wickets already, having combined well with James Anderson in favourable conditions the previous evening. But that was just the precursor to Broad’s spell of 4 for 14 from four overs which ended West Indies’ first innings.
Chris Woakes and Jofra Archer opened the bowling on the third morning with Jason Holder not out 24 and Shane Dowrich on 10, their side still 33 runs from saving the follow-on.
The batsmen successfully navigated a spell of short-pitched bowling and secured their first target. Dowrich did well to see off the barrage, given the fact England’s bowlers have targeted him with the short ball in this series.
But when Broad came on, he struck with his third ball, removing the dangerous Holder four runs shy of his half-century with a lovely length ball that seamed in and struck the knee-roll, breaking up a partnership worth 68.
Woakes thought he had Holder out for 38 four overs earlier to a brilliant diving catch by Ollie Pope at midwicket, until it was revealed he had overstepped for only the second time in his 35-Test career.
Holder’s eventual dismissal, just after he had reached the milestone of 2000 Test runs, left his side exposed, and Broad swooped.
In his third over of the day, Broad had Rahkeem Cornwall out lbw for 10 and, three balls later, he drew Roach forward with a ball that nipped away off the seam, found an edge and was swallowed by Root at slip to claim his five-wicket haul.
“And another thing…” Broad wasn’t done. He then claimed last man out Dowrich, who top-edged a pull to mid-on, to give Broad figures of 6 for 31 from 14 overs. Broad is now the leading wicket-taker for the series with 14, despite missed that first Test.
England’s second innings started terribly for West indies when Holder had to leave the field after Burns edged a Roach delivery in his direction at second slip and the ball bounced awkwardly into his left thumb.
No sooner had Holder returned to the field after lunch, with his thumb heavily strapped, than wicketkeeper Dowrich was off nursing a swollen lip after Burns left a Shannon Gabriel short ball which deceived the keeper with some late swing, hit the top of his glove and smacked into his face.
A bleeding Dowrich spent the rest of the day in the changing rooms – he was seen shortly after the incident holding a small piece of ice to his lip – as he was replaced initially by Shai Hope before substitute Joshua Da Silva donned his gear and took over, making his first appearance of the series.
In the meantime, Burns and Sibley set about extending the England lead, their union eventually broken by Holder when he had Sibley out lbw for 56, which included seven fours.
As soon as Burns was out, Root joined him on the walk back to the changing rooms, where Broad was preparing to return in full flight.