Feisty Broad still well worth his Test place
WE may not have had the explosive finish we were treated to in Cardiff, but Lord’s certainly provided more positives than negatives for England.
This is as powerful a batting line-up as England have ever produced and they compliment each other splendidly. With Kevin Pietersen back in the runs the top seven are bang in form and it augers well for the India series.
If there is a concern, it’s that England’s method of winning matches seems to be rather mechanical. Their main ploy is to build a large first innings total and then turn to Graeme Swann on a deteriorating fifth day pitch.
That’s all well and good when conditions are helpful, but that wasn’t the case at Lord’s and they are unlikely to be down at Hampshire for the final Test
Chris Tremlett, Steven Finn and Stuart Broad are almost carbon copies of each other and that’s amplified when James Anderson is absent.
The Lancashire paceman will go straight back into the side, fitness permitting, and as harsh as it might be I’d leave Finn out at the Rose Bowl.
The statistics show he’s more of a wicket-taking threat than Broad, but England’s new Twenty20 skipper offers that natural aggression that any attack requires.