ngland bowler Stuart Broad is to retire from Test cricket following the conclusion of this week’s Fifth Ashes Test.
Broad announced his decision immediately after the third day’s play at Kia Oval, having finished the evening batting alongside teammate James Anderson.
The 37-year-old became just the fifth man in history to pass 600 Test wickets earlier in the series and will go down as one of England’s greatest ever cricketers.
The seamer has saved many of his best performances for Australia and became England’s most prolific Ashes wicket-taker during the fourth Test at Old Trafford, when his 149th scalp took him past Sir Ian Botham’s record.
Broad has defied even his own expectations by featuring in all five Tests during the current series, with England having not gone into a home Ashes Test without the Nottinghamshire bowler since the famous 2005 series. His 20 wickets in the series are the most of any English bowler and he could yet finish as the overall leading wicket-taker, with Mitchell Starc currently leading the way on 23.
There remains the chance for a grand finale at the Oval this week, with England currently 377 runs ahead with one second-innings wicket in hand, Broad and Anderson set to resume on Sunday morning unless Ben Stokes decides on an overnight declaration.
Either way, with two days of play remaining, Australia face a daunting chase if they are to deny England the consolation of a 2-2 series draw and again miss out on a first outright victory in England since 2001.
