“It doesn’t matter what bowlers you play if you are getting bowled out for 140” – Stuart Broad

Stuart Broad criticized the English batters in a post-match media interaction after Day Two of the fourth Ashes Test. England’s batting lineup has produced a horrendous performance on this Ashes tour. Broad, one of the side's senior bowlers wasn’t shy about speaking candidly about the situation.

Speaking during the media interaction, the veteran pacer recalled:

“I think I said in an interview eight or nine months ago, that coming to Australia, runs are everything. If we get 140 odd or 230 odd like at Melbourne [Adelaide], that wasn’t loads [enough] either.”

The Poms’ highest score in this series has been 297. England have been dismissed four times below 200 in six innings, with their lowest score being 68 in the third test. This is their lowest score since August of 2019.

Speaking about the situation, Broad continued:

“You can dissect loads on this trip, but first-innings runs are where you live in Test cricket and we've failed to deliver that. But we’ve got an opportunity tomorrow.”

He added:

“Honestly, it doesn’t matter what bowlers you play if you’re getting bowled out for 140. That might be a bit brutal but that's the truth in Test cricket."

---

“I got this soaking wet ball back” – Stuart Broad on the last ball of the innings going into the crowd

Stuart Broad himself bowled brilliantly for England, getting his nineteenth five-wicket haul and eight in the Ashes, after being dropped in two out of the first three games of the series. His five-fer came with the priced wicket of centurion Usman Khawaja.

Nathan Lyon disposed the last ball of Broad’s 29th over for a six over the cow-corner region into the crowd. Pat Cummins appreciated the shot with a couple of claps and then asked his batters to come back as the Aussies declared.

Speaking about the end of the innings, Broad said:

“I got hit for 6 with the last ball I bowled with it then had to get sanitized because it went into the crowd. I got this soaking wet ball back. That will be a nice one, the hand-sanitized SCG fifer ball.”