LEEDS: Stuart Broad’s war of words with Michael Vaughan continued on Sunday as he insisted he had the right to hit back at criticism from the former England captain.

Vaughan made waves before the ongoing second Test against Pakistan at Headingley by suggesting that either Broad or James Anderson, England’s two all-time leading Test wicket-takers, be dropped to ‘ruffle some feathers’ after the hosts’ nine-wicket defeat at Lord’s.

But after each of the veteran new-ball duo took three wickets apiece in Pakistan’s first-innings 174 at Headingley in a match England must win to end the series all square at 1-1, Broad revealed he had phoned Vaughan to discuss what he thought were ‘targeted’ and ‘unfair’ remarks.

Vaughan, commentating on BBC Radio’s Test Match Special, then in turn responded on Saturday by reminding Broad his comments “may come back to bite him” and that England had not yet won at Headingley.

Broad has now had a further say in his column for Mail on Sunday newspaper.

Significantly, however, he chose to refer to Vaughan, his first England captain, not by the former Yorkshire batsman’s name but merely as a ‘pundit’.

“It’s fair to say it’s been an interesting week for me and the team -- on and off the field,” Broad wrote. “I spoke to the press after play on Friday night and was asked about the views of a pundit who had criticised me.

“Fair enough, everyone is entitled to their opinion, but surely that also means players have the right to respond to comments made about them,” he added.

Published in Dawn, June 4th, 2018