Veteran England cricketer Stuart Broad on Wednesday became the second fast-bowler to pick 600 wickets in Test cricket on day one of the fourth match of the Ashes 2023 series at Old Trafford, here.
The 36-year old Broad achieved the historic feat after taking the wicket of Australia’s left-handed batsman Travis Head. His England team-mate James Anderson, is the only other fast-bowler to have more than 600 Test wickets.
Overall, Broad is the fifth bowler to take 600 scalps in Tests after Sri Lanka’s Muttiah Muralitharan (800), Australia’s Shane Warne (708), Anderson (688) and India’s Anil Kumble (619).
Broad began the ongoing Old Trafford Test on 598 wickets and soon moved to 599 when he trapped Usman Khawaja lbw early in the match. In the third session, Broad got his Test wicket number 600 when Head was caught by Joe Root at the boundary.
“He joins the elite club alongside Jimmy Anderson. What a cricketer, what a competitor. An absolutely fantastic achievement. Only one other seamer in the history of the game has got those 600 wickets.
Broad now joins his great mate in that special club where just three spinners and two seamers have got there. No matter what kind of bowler you are, to get that number of wickets is amazing,” said former England captain Michael Atherton on-air.
Broad made his Test debut for England against Sri Lanka at Colombo in 2007, with Chaminda Vaas being his maiden wicket in the format. Till now, he has made 166 Test appearances and has been a member of four Ashes-winning sides.
“To do it as a fast bowler, with all the stresses and strains on your body is quite incredible. It is a very special wicket that Broad will remember for a long, long time. Even with all the wickets he has taken, he was working on a new delivery ahead of the season, the out-swinger. He is always trying to get better. That is why he is so high on that wicket-takers list. A constant search for improvement,” added Atherton.
Broad’s 600 wickets have come at an average of 27.57 and consist of 20 five-wicket and three 10-wicket hauls. He has the most number of wickets against Australia (149) in 39 matches, overtaking Ian Botham’s 148 wickets.
Out of those 149 wickets against Australia, Broad has taken out Australia’s veteran left-handed opener David Warner 17 times, against whom the quick continues to consistently come out on top, including in the ongoing Ashes.