Stuart Broad says Ashes won't be a war. Image Courtesy: Getty Images
England speedster Stuart Broad has contradicted to the comments made by Aussie opener David Warner that it will be “war” between the two teams once the opening Test of the five-match Ashes series begins.
Warner had urged his teammates earlier this month to “dig deep to get some hatred” for the England team adding “As soon as you step on that line it’s war.”
Despite being well aware of the hostility England will receive for the Ashes next month, Broad is keeping himself calm and added that he doesn’t need to hate the Aussies, as it’s just a game of cricket and not a war.
“I don’t have to hate them. It’s a game of cricket, not war,” Broad was quoted as saying by the London Daily Telegraph.
NOTTINGHAM, ENGLAND – JULY 12: Phil Hughes, Michael Clarke, Ed Cowan, wicketkeeper Brad Haddin and Ashton Agar of Australia appeal unsuccessfully for the wicket of Stuart Broad of England during day three of the 1st Investec Ashes Test match between England and Australia at Trent Bridge Cricket Ground on July 12, 2013 in Nottingham, England. (Photo by Laurence Griffiths/Getty Images)
Broad was at the receiving end of numerous verbal volleys from the crowd during the 2013/14 Ashes, as Broad hadn’t walked after getting a clear nick in the previous Ashes in England. Warner was the villain as far as England was concerned, as he punched a blow to Joe Root in a nightclub.
“Actually I loved that trip, I liked the pantomime villain stuff. As a cricketer, it was as close as you get to being a footballer playing away from home. (Lehmann) needed something to unite the public and media behind the Australian side and he chose me,” Broad said.
Broad drew inspiration from another fierce footballing rivalry between the animosity between Arsenal skipper Patrick Vieira and Manchester United player Roy Keane and manager Alex Ferguson.
Stuart Broad and David Warner. Image Courtesy: Getty Images
“Because I knew (the hostility) was coming, I prepared for it,” said Broad. “I read Alex Ferguson’s book about how he’d once told Patrick Vieira, who’d had dog’s abuse from the Old Trafford crowd, ‘they wouldn’t be abusing you if they didn’t respect you’.
“Whether Aussies meant it that way, that’s how I decided to take it; they were only doing it because they were scared of me.”
For this year’s Ashes, Aussie skipper Steven Smith has targeted England’s inexperienced batting line-up. Mark Stoneman, James Vince and Dawid Malan will be on their first tour Down Under and is expected to receive quite a few verbal volleys from both the Australian players and the crowds. Participation of Ben Stokes is in doubts, as he hasn’t got any clearance on that fateful night at Bristol where he allegedly punched a man during a street brawl. Broad, however, said,
“When you go to Australia you have to have a genuine belief in your team that you can win. And I have that. I believe we can win.
“The (Andrew) Strauss-led side that got to number one in 2011 was the most efficient, disciplined group I’ve ever played with, but this team now is the most exciting,” he added. Moeen (Ali), Jonny (Bairstow), Stokesy: you don’t know what will happen. But something will. True, we’re not as consistent. But we can win games out of nowhere.”
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Arya Chakraborty
A Cricket Freak and a Music Lover. Hearing the name of Sachin Tendulkar still gives him goosebumps and listening to Arjit Singh songs keeps him in the right space. Loves Revolving his life around cricket...
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