Ashes 2023Stuart Broad happy with ‘pretty good day’ despite Usman Khawaja hundred on Day 2 of 1st Test

By India Today Sports DeskStuart Broad reckoned that England had a ‘pretty good day’ in the office on Day 2 of the opening Ashes Test at Edgbaston in Birmingham. At Stumps on the second day, Australia were trailing by 82 runs with five wickets left in their first innings.

Broad dismissed David Warner and Marnus Labuschagne to start England’s day on a stupendous note. He could have had his third wicket as well had he not bowled a no ball in the first over with the second new ball.

In the third and final session of the day’s play, Broad rattled Usman Khawaja’s woodwork only for the ball to be called illegal. Khawaja stayed not out on 126 and also completed 1000 Test runs against England.

Broad, in the meantime, said that he is happy with the position England are in currently with Australia not having too much batting left.

“I think it was a pretty good day actually. It has been a slow, turgid pitch so to be still 82 runs ahead of Australia with Pat Cummins and the tail next, we are pretty happy,” Broad was quoted as saying to Sky Sports.

“Things could happen pretty quickly for us in the first hour tomorrow and there wasn’t a lot in that pitch today,” he added.

On Day 2, it was Moeen Ali, who picked up two wickets of Travis Head and Cameron Green. Broad kept his fingers crossed for the pitch at Edgbaston to deteriorate as the Test match goes deep. The speedster said that England’s main aim was to make the visitors bat last in the game.

“Ultimately, our aim is for Australia to bat last on that and for us to bowl last on that and hopefully it keeps deteriorating,” Broad added.