England pacer Stuart Broad, who announced his retirement last month, dismissed Australia’s Alex Carey on the last ball of his career as England beat Australia in the fifth Ashes Test by 49 runs.
He became the first cricketer to hit a six on the last ball of his career and take a wicket with the final ball of his career. On Day 4, Broad hit a six on what would be the last ball he faced as a batsman in his career. The ball was bowled by Australia’s Mitchell Starc.
The Ashes 2023 Test ended in a 2-2 draw.
Broad’s final tally stands at 604 wickets at 27.68 in his 167-Test career.
England’s coach Brendon McCullum compared the Ashes series to a heavyweight bout between the two teams. “Amazing to be part of this series. Two incredible cricket teams with contrasting styles much like a heavyweight boxing fight and it lived up to the billing. It was really special,” he told Sky Sports.
He also lauded Broad and called him a true competitor, adding that he “writes his own scripts”. “It’s hard to really sum up in few words what Stuart Broad is about and what the impact he has had on this game.What he has been able to bring to the dressing room in the last 14-15 months. It is nothing sort of unbelievable…We are going to miss him [a] huge amount. He deserves to leave on his terms,” he added. He noted that Broad’s exit is like a fairytale.
Reactions to Broad’s exit
The English player’s retirement has garnered reactions from all around. Former Indian cricketer Yuvraj Singh penned a note for Broad on Twitter. “Congratulations on an incredible Test career, one of the finest and most feared red ball bowlers, and a real legend! Your journey and determination have been super inspiring. Good luck for the next leg Broady!” he wrote.
Reacting to Broad’s retirement, his teammate, James Anderson said he will definitely miss him. Anderson has taken 689 Test wickets, more than any other pacer in the history of the format. Broad crossed the 600 mark last week. He became the second pacer to do so. Talking about the milestone, Anderson told Sky Sports, “We both said when we saw that image, if we put one photo in our house of our careers, it would be that one. We have loved playing together. Neither of us could have achieved what we have without the other.”
