Broad — a clear and present danger

Stuart Broad didn't win the Man of the Match award and he didn't make it to the Lord's honour board, but there was no denying his pivotal role in the first Test.

With his spot under pressure before the game and a duck marring his first appearance in the contest, Broad wouldn't have been feeling too good about himself. But he turned things around spectacularly, doing everything asked of him with ball and bat.

Highly rated

Although experts in England and the cricketers in his own dressing room rate him highly, an average of more than 36 in 37 Tests preceding the one at Lord's hardly suggested a special bowling talent.

There was also confusion over his role in the team: was he the “enforcer”, his brief to rough batsmen up as English bowling coach David Saker said, or was he the third seamer with the same instructions as the other two, as head coach Andy Flower stated?

In both innings of the first Test, Broad primarily bowled a full length to swing the ball at good speed. When the occasion demanded a short-pitched attack — as it did against Suresh Raina on the fifth afternoon, which the batsman, to his credit, handled well — the 25-year-old was charged with the responsibility.

With the performance (seven wickets in the match), Broad showed just why his stock is so high in England. When he operates in this manner, he's a danger to any batsman: with bounce from his 6ft 6in frame, pace, and movement, he has all the tools.

Mentally composed

He also showed he could hold it together mentally, although he wasn't far on occasion from the petulant meltdown that has characterised him.

“I think it was quite obvious I bowled a fuller length” said Broad about his bowling. “I thought about getting a cover in, still keeping three slips and getting rid of the gully which allowed me to bowl that fuller length without the thought of getting hit for four.

“I think that worked, getting the batsmen driving, and that length can still hit the stumps on a pretty slow Lord's wicket. I'll obviously look to do that in the future as well.”

Defined role

Broad's performance clarified his role in the side, and he confirmed it. “Within the changing room, everyone has always known I'm best when I pitch the ball up and get a little bit of movement,” he said. “But when that moment comes when a bowler is needed to rough a batsman up or get two men out on the hook and try to unsettle someone, then the ball gets thrown to me because my bouncer is pretty good and it's got a decent yard [of pace] in it.”

The fast-bowler said being pushed by Tim Bresnan for his place helped, but he traced the turnaround to a recent county performance. “As an international cricketer you are always under pressure, there are always guys who want your spot and that's a healthy thing,” he said.

“What helped me was going back to play for Notts (Nottingham), gaining the confidence of a five-wicket haul (five for 95 v Somerset), bowling at Trent Bridge which always encourages you to pitch the ball up and swing it. I felt in really good rhythm and brought that to the Test.”