Ashes 2019: Stuart Broad Did a Lot of Homework on David Warner

England pace-spearhead Stuart Broad finished the Ashes series with 23 wickets but the most memorable will be about the series is how he had dismissed David Warner throughout all the five Tests. Broad dismissed Warner seven times in the series where the Australian managed only 95 runs from 10 innings at an average of 9.50, with a high score of 61 at Leeds.

His dismissals included three ducks in a row which the 32-year-old would want to forget. This series was Warner’s return to Test cricket a year after he was suspended for the ball-tampering scandal in 2018. However, Broad had some other plans in mind as he said he did a lot of homework on Warner before the series.

“I had an added responsibility to try and get their big players out and that’s why I did a lot of planning on David Warner,” Stuart Broad said. “I never dreamt that I would have the success against him that I’ve had but, of course, that is just in this series. If we put our numbers together over the course of our careers, with how much we have played against each other, I think they would be quite even. He has outdone me in many a series but this time, it went my way.”

Broad further explained how the prolific form of Steve Smith made the difference between the two teams. Smith amassed a whopping 774 runs, despite missing the third Test. Although Australia retained the Ashes, England managed to win the final Test and the series ended in a draw.

“They had one batsman who has been a 15 out of 10 and we’ve not had that, which has been a huge difference,” Broad said. “We would have really liked to win the series but if we sit down in a week’s time without the emotion, it is probably the right result.”

However, one of the most successful bowlers of England shared that he has a lot more left to give to cricket. He was not included in their tour to Sri Lanka last year and West Indies earlier this year. That certainly led the speculations about his future, but in the absence of James Anderson, Broad led the pace attack beautifully in the Ashes. He even said that he has been very pleased with his performance.