Zak Crawley dropped the chance at the finale, but Broad was not to be denied. Broad was off and running, The crowd released enough energy to restart Battersea Power Station. Change the bails, change the luck, change the game. The villain and the replacement chipped away, a ninth-wicket partnership to evoke memories of Australia's win in the first Test at Edgbaston.īroad knew the feeling and knew what to do. His sidekick was Todd Murphy, a man who wouldn't have been playing had it not been for an injury to Nathan Lyon. Alex Carey had secured his place as persona non grata with his stumping of Jonny Bairstow at Lord's. Captain Stokes can say it was because Broad was suited to bowling to the left-handers at the crease, but he would have known the theatre of the moment.īut all great fairytales have a bad guy and this was no different. Two wickets to win and Broad with ball in hand. It was the work of Woakes and Moeen that set the stage for Broad. No other cricketer in the country could have fulfilled the role and his beguiling spell on Monday, ending with 3-76 against an Australia team that have always been his tormentors, was just reward for one of the all-time great comebacks. It is sheer luck for England that Moeen ended the series as their number three and frontline spinner. A missed day of training to collect an OBE, a gash in his spinning finger like something from a horror film, a magical cure sent through the post by a fan. If the return itself was not extraordinary enough, then what came after defied belief. The moment Moeen answered Ben Stokes' SOS to come out of retirement and replace the injured Jack Leach, he set himself on the path to a heroic performance. Moeen Ali had not explicitly told anyone that this would be his final Test - that's not his style - but we all knew. Broad was living every minute to the fullest, applauding the crowd each time he went near to the boundary and celebrating the wickets with maniacal gusto.Īt the other end, another fitting farewell was playing out. Jagging the ball around, bending it to his will, Woakes took the vital wickets of Warner, Usman Khawaja and Steve Smith in his 4-50. On this day, it was Woakes' mission to send Broad off in style. Ever-dependable, he would be the admin on the WhatsApp group, make the buffet and put you in a taxi home after having one drink too many. David Warner, of all people, was still batting.īut if you want a party, Chris Woakes would be the perfect man to organise it. As Monday dawned, Australia had given themselves a decent chance of completing a chase of 384, winning the Ashes 3-1 and ruining Broad's farewell. However, that was about as good as it got for England on day four of the fifth Test. What Cook couldn't have known was that Broad was about to conjure a finale to rival his own.īy this point, Broad had already been given a guard of honour by the Australians and swiped what turned out to be his final ball as a Test batter for six. On this occasion, Cook looked Broad in the eye and told him he had made the right decision to call time. Only when he got back in the nets did he decide it was a bad idea. In the aftermath of his retirement, Cook had recurring dreams about making a comeback, to the point he even contacted some of his former team-mates. The night before his final day as a cricketer, Broad went for a drink with his old mate Alastair Cook, a man who nailed an Oval farewell like no-one else before him with a century in his final Test innings. Courtney Walsh and Curtly Ambrose arm in arm. Andrew Flintoff's run-out of Ricky Ponting. McCullum praises England's 'refined' style.Australia fell short of Ashes goal - Cummins.'Pure joy and happiness' - Broad on fairytale finale.Broad bowls England to series-levelling win.Hugh Jackman had even been there watching. Hollywood is on strike so he had to write his own script. The joy and the nerves, the relief and the tension, the silliness and the sadness. I can't think there'll be too many cricket fans out there who would think I've slacked off for a moment."įor Broad, there were two days left to deliver the feelings. Speaking to the press, he said: "I've given my heart and soul. On Saturday evening Broad had just announced that the fifth Ashes Test would be his last match as a professional cricketer. Some have won more World Cups or Ashes series. There might have been better cricketers to play for England. Andy Murray crying on Centre Court, Chloe Kelly twirling her shirt around her head, Jessica Ennis-Hill's sprint down the home straight on Super Saturday. We can make a connection with stars we have never met, or are never likely to meet, because of how they make us feel.
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