MANCHESTER: Stuart Broad says he still feels fresh and is keen to reprise his heroics against West Indies when England return to the Test arena next week for the three-match series against Pakistan.

The 34-year-old paceman became only the seventh bowler to reach the milestone of 500 Test wickets as he helped England to a resounding 269-run victory over West Indies on Tuesday to win the third and final Test at Old Trafford and clinch the series 2-1.

He took 10 wickets in the Test — for only the third time in his career —and was named man-of-the-series despite his surprise omission from the first Test.

“I’ve never really set any targets and I’ve learned a huge amount through my career, but what is pleasing me at the moment is that I feel so fresh and excited to play the game and I’ve done some technical work that makes me feel in a great rhythm,” man-of-the-match Broad said. “Now I’m looking forward to a couple of days off outside the bio-secure environment but also looking forward to being back and playing against Pakistan.”

Broad’s 500th wicket came at the start of the day when England rushed to try and dismiss the tourists because the threat of rain hung heavily overhead and there were intermittent stoppages.

He trapped Kraigg Brathwaite LBW for the milestone, matching the achievement of his opening ball partner James Anderson whose 500th Test wicket came up at Lord’s three years ago when he dismissed the same batsman.

“What a stat that is,” Broad said. “Jimmy told me in the warm-up, ‘you know who it’s going to be’ and then told me his 500th victim was Brathwaite. The stars have to be aligned for that to happen! I think that’s going to be a quiz question for many years to come.”

Published in Dawn, July 30th, 2020