BRISBANE, (Reuters) – Australia coach Darren Lehmann’s demand that his compatriots harass Stuart Broad “so he cries and goes home” backfired in spectacular fashion yesterday when the England paceman took five wickets in the first Ashes test at the Gabba.
Lehmann made the comments in a radio interview during the first Ashes series of the year in which he also accused Broad of “blatantly cheating” by not walking when he edged the ball to the slips but was not given out.
Despite a later apology from Lehmann over the cheating allegation, which earned him a fine, some in the Australian media have enthusiastically embraced the campaign to make Broad Australia’s “Public Enemy Number One”.
Brisbane’s Courier-Mail yesterday dedicated their front page to the launch of a “Broad Ban” campaign, exhorting fans to give the “smug Pommy cheat” the silent treatment.
The fans at the Gabba ignored the newspapers “plan” and, when Broad was called up to bowl from the Stanley Street end for the second over of the day, a rumbling chorus of boos echoed around the stadium.
Broad brought the newspaper into the news conference with him after taking 5-65 to help reduce Australia to 273 for eight at the close of play.
“I saw this outside and it made me smile,” he grinned.
“In our medical assessments, the psychologist from the England side mentioned that there were three guys in this side who would thrive properly on getting abuse and it’s (Kevin Pietersen), Matt Prior and myself.
“So they picked good men to go at. It’s good fun.”
The boos were later replaced by an obscene chant that Broad said he could not help humming along to, although he was pleased his mother was not in the ground.
A day that ended so well for the 27-year-old started with the jeers and a loss of footing.
DEMANDING MORE
His first delivery was not quite the nightmare wide that England’s Steve Harmison served up in 2006 but a no ball that David Warner brutally pulled for four was certainly not the start he had envisioned.
Warner, though, ended up as one of Broad’s five victims along with Chris Rogers, Shane Watson, Michael Clarke and Mitchell Johnson. “There’s something about Ashes cricket that brings out the best in me,” Broad added.
“Playing against the Aussies, it means so much to me. I’m delighted with today’s performance but, looking to the future, obviously want a lot more.”
Clarke had made just one run when Broad took his wicket for the sixth time in the Australian skipper’s last eight innings, and eighth time in total.
“He’s obviously their star man,” Broad said. “I wouldn’t say I’ve got a hold over him at all, I mean his record’s phenomenal.
“There’s times in this series where it’ll go for him so we’ve got to enjoy the times where he’s walking back with less than 10.”
Broad said it was not the best of his 11 test five-wicket hauls from a technical point of view but he ranked it near the top in terms of context.
“I didn’t actually feel that good today. It was just one of those days when the wickets came to me,” he said. “I wouldn’t class it as one of my better five-fors from a bowling point of view but I would say I would class it as my best in terms of the scenario, day and experience.”
