CRICKET : Andrew Strauss believes Stuart Broad has taken significant strides on the road to becoming a “complete cricketer”.
Andrew Strauss believes Stuart Broad has taken significant strides on the road to becoming a “complete cricketer”.
Broad himself recently conceded he endured a learning curve when South Africa toured England last year. But he has since hit back with a man-of-the-match haul to help clinch the Ashes at The Oval three months ago, and with three wickets against South Africa in the Champions Trophy this autumn.
“He’s still a young man and he got thrust into the England team very early in his career,” said Strauss. “I’m a big believer that everyone needs to go through a tough patch, in order to become a complete cricketer.”
He added: “He had a little bit of a time there, in the last series against South Africa, where he didn’t bowl quite as well as he’d like to. But I think he’s revelling in being one of the senior bowlers now.”
The company 23-year-old Broad has kept can only have helped.
“At that stage, we had the likes of (Stephen) Harmison and (Andrew) Flintoff around, and I think that’s improved both his performances and his thinking,” added Strauss.
“I have every confidence he’s going to make a real mark on this tour.”
