Pick a battle with Australians: Stuart Broad reveals his technique that helped Ben Stokes in 2nd Ashes Test

By India Today Sports Desk: Veteran England pacer Stuart Broad revealed that a part of his technique to assist Ben Stokes on Day 5 of the Lord’s Ashes Test was choosing up a battle with the Australian cricketers to divert their consideration from the England captain.

Notably, Stokes, in a way harking back to his unimaginable efficiency at Headingley in 2019, threatened to duplicate his heroics in an much more difficult state of affairs. However, he was finally dismissed for 155 runs with England nonetheless 70 runs away from victory.

“Sometimes I just like to get in a little battle for myself. I knew that it was such an important moment of that game at Lord’s and I needed to make sure I was mentally switched on and able to do a job for Ben Stokes at the other end,” Broad spoke to Sky Sports on Tuesday.

“Part of my strategy was to pick a fight with a couple of Australians so I wouldn’t be focusing on too much technique. I would just be focusing on the ball and making sure I could stay there,” Broad added.

As anticipated, England’s lower-order batsmen rapidly succumbed after Stokes’ dismissal, resulting in Australia securing a 43-run victory and taking a 2-0 lead within the 2023 Ashes collection. Yet, previous to this end result, Stokes displayed distinctive abilities corresponding to his biggest moments as an England cricketer.

Following the controversial run-out of Jonny Bairstow, who scored 10 runs, England nonetheless required 179 runs for victory. It was at this level that Stokes was joined within the center by tail-ender Stuart Broad, who had solely managed to attain a single Test fifty because the starting of 2018. Stokes determined that Bairstow’s dismissal was the proper alternative to launch a counter-attack.

At one level, he scored 23 runs off one Cam Green over, together with three consecutive sixes that propelled Stokes to his thirteenth Test century. Stokes had shared a 108-run stand for the eighth wicket with Stuart Broad on Day 5 of the Lord’s Test and threatened to take the sport away from the Australians.

England secured victory within the newest Ashes Test at Headingley, with Australia main the collection 2-1 heading into the ultimate two matches at Old Trafford and The Oval. Stokes and his staff should win each Tests to reclaim the urn.