Stuart Broad was up to his old tricks on the opening day of the Test summer. Not his new tricks, like the voiding of Ashes series or talking up the outswinger he claims to have calibrated specifically for Australia’s star right-handers. Rather, he was being ruinous with a Dukes ball and making selection for the main event a touch trickier.
Broad is long past the point of needing to prove himself, of course. And Ireland are a side lacking experience in first-class cricket, let alone in Tests. Still, with Jimmy Anderson, Ollie Robinson and Mark Wood in bubble wrap this week, there are no guarantees he will start the Ashes and so figures of five for 51 – a first honours board appearance for 10 years – were a useful nudge as to his form and fitness. Once the visitors were rolled for 172 all out in 56.2 overs, their dismissals met with reserved cheers by a Lord’s crowd increasingly mindful of the mismatch, there was also a typically assertive response from England’s top order in the bright sunshine.
