Broad grabs 500th wicket as England defeat WI

England’s Stuart Broad celebrates taking his 500th test wicket

Stuart Broad grabbed his 500th Test wicket to set England on their way to a resounding 269-run win over the West Indies in the third and final Test at Old Trafford yesterday.

Broad joined an elite club, finishing with match figures of 10 for 67, as the West Indies were bowled out for 129 runs in between several rain delays in Manchester.

England won the first Test series since the COVID-19 pandemic 2-1 and will almost immediately go into another three-match Test series against Pakistan, starting next week.

West Indies were always up against it after being set an improbably 399 to win and losing the first two wickets of their second innings to Broad on Sunday, where they were 10 for two at the close.

Mondays play was washed out but Broad did not take long to continue his heroics as he trapped Kraigg Brathwaite leg before wicket for 19. The 34-year-old Broad had taken the last four wickets of West Indies’ first innings and the first three of their second innings in a dominant performance capped by reaching the 500-wicket milestone only the seventh Test cricketer to do so.
Brathwaite was also the 500th Test victim of James Anderson at Lord’s three years ago, serving up a unique double for England’s most successful bowling duo.

Anderson opened the bowling with Broad yesterday but it was Chris Woakes who did the most damage, finishing with figures of five for 50.

He had Shai Hope caught for 31 by Broad after a wild swing which saw the ball go straight up into the air and Shamarh Brooks followed soon after as he got an inside edge and was caught behind.

After lunch, Roston Chase was run out for seven by Dom Bess as the tourists risked an unnecessary single and when Captain Jason Holder was lbw to Woakes for 12, any suggestion of a resolute stand looked over.

Woakes’ next two victims were also caught shuffling across the crease, with Shane Dowrich out for eight and Rahkeem Cornwall for two.

Fittingly, it was Broad who secured victory as Jermaine Blackwood was caught behind for 23. 

REUTERS