'A Couple Of Policemen Did Me a Favour'- Stuart Broad's Interesting Statement On Marnus Labuschagne's Dismissal
Stuart Broad sent Marnus Labuschagne back for a golden duck
England seamer Stuart Broad made an intriguing observation regarding Australian batter Marnus Labuschagne's dismissal during the opening Ashes 2023 Test at Edgbaston. Broad humorously remarked that an unexpected intervention by a couple of policemen disrupted the Australian batter's "eyeliner," aiding him in executing his well-thought-out plan.
Stuart Broad's cheeky observation adds humour and insight
The fiery paceman accounted for the early departures of both David Warner (9) and Labuschagne (0) on the second day of the first Ashes 2023 Test. Warner, a familiar victim of Broad's bowling, succumbed to his nemesis for the 15th time in Test cricket, carelessly dragging a wide delivery onto his stumps.
Stepping onto the field in place of Warner, Labuschagne found himself enticed by an outswinger from Broad, caved into temptation and edged the ball to wicket-keeper Jonny Bairstow.
Reflecting on the dismissal, Broad shared his thoughts in a piece for The Daily Mail, shedding light on the strategic nature of his approach. He revealed that the particular delivery that accounted for Labuschagne's wicket was precisely the one he had intended to bowl.
The veteran bowler quipped that the intervention of two policemen momentarily disrupted the rhythm of the Australian batsman. Broad expressed his satisfaction and emphasised the gratifying feeling of successfully implementing a premeditated strategy.
"As for the ball that got Labuschagne, that’s the one I am looking to bowl him by design. A couple of policemen did me a favour when they got in Marnus’ eyeliner and slowed things down a bit, allowing me to focus and with that one I was able to follow through with the plan and that’s always a really nice feeling," said Broad.
Furthermore, Broad confessed his liking for the wobble seam delivery, considering it his favourite weapon. He stated the difficulty of beating batsmen on the inside edge, especially on slower pitches. Determined to incorporate the outside edge more frequently, Broad stated that he worked significantly with the bowling coach to refine his skills earlier this year.
“I played three out of my four County Championship games for Nottinghamshire this season on really slow pitches, so I wanted to bring the outside edge into things more and that’s why I worked on it with Kevin Shine, our bowling coach, earlier this year,” added the seasoned campaigner.
As the third day of the Edgbaston Test commences, Australia finds themselves trailing England by 82 runs.
Usman Khawaja is at the crease batting 126, while Alex Carey is unbeaten on 52. The ground is set for an exciting battle between the two cricketing powerhouses on Day 3 as the Ashes series unfolds further.
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