Four years ago today, English pace icon Stuart Broad achieved an elusive milestone in Test Cricket. Playing against the West Indies, Broad scalped his 500th Test wicket to become only the second bowler in England’s history to achieve this feat. Legendary fast bowler Jimmy James Anderson was the first Englishman to record this milestone.
The match occurred on July 28, 2020, at the Emirates Old Trafford stadium. On the final day of the game, Broad dismissed Kraigg Brathwaite to reach the landmark.
His impressive bowling helped England to win the Wisden Trophy 2-1. He had scalped 10 wickets in the final match.
Congratulations to England on their emphatic series win.And like I said earlier, @StuartBroad8 had a spring in his step and was out there on a mission. Congratulations also to him on picking his 500th Test wicket. Terrific achievement! #ENGvWI pic.twitter.com/LGRKWBYOSh
— Sachin Tendulkar (@sachin_rt) July 28, 2020
Stuart Broad had trapped Kraig Brathwaite lbw to leave the West Indies 48-3 in a 399-run chase. Coincidentally, Jimmy Anderson had also recorded his 500th wicket against the same West Indies opening batter in 2017.
Stuart Broad was also instrumental in England’s first innings, where the pacer smashed 62 runs from 45 deliveries. This batting proved to be crucial as England faced a mini-collapse during the game that left them at 280/8. But Broad’s innings helped England reach 369.
During England’s bowling, Stuart Broad’s 10 wickets in the match had overshadowed Chris Woakes’ five-wicket haul. Broad began with a 6/31 performance that helped bowl out the West Indies for 197 in the first innings. His second-innings bowling performance saw the Test veteran put up splendid figures of 4/36. Broad finished the series as the highest wicket-taker with 16 scalps.
Jimmy Anderson was amazed at Stuard Broad’s prowess in finding a cluster of crucial wickets. As per BBC, he said, “I’m always amazed at how he can just get the ball and go on a roll…I don’t feel like I’ve got that in my game – if I get five wickets it takes me a few days to get there normally!”
Nearly three years after registering his 500th Test dismissal, Stuart Broad claimed his 600th wicket in the Ashes last year. Having competed in 167 matches, Broad retired with 604 Test wickets.
He is currently the fifth most successful wicket-taker in Test cricket, following the likes of Anil Kumble, Jimmy Anderson, Shane Warne and Muttiah Muralitharan.
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