Stuart Broad became just the seventh bowler to take 500 Test wickets as England registered a series-clinching win over the West Indies at Old Trafford on Tuesday.
Broad finished with 10 wickets in the decider, and 16 wickets in the series after being dropped for the first of the three matches that marked the return of international cricket post-coronavirus shutdown.
In the all-time list of leading wicket-takers in Test cricket, Broad has been in the *seventh position for a while. Among pace bowlers, only James Anderson, Glenn McGrath and Courtney Walsh are in front of Broad.
After day four was washed out, Broad reached the landmark on day five with the wicket of West Indies opener Kraigg Brathwaite, who was trapped in front by a ball that kept low.
In the first innings, Broad’s haul of 6/31 in 14 overs saw the West Indies bundled out for 197 in reply to England’s first-innings 369 that featured his dashing 62.
England’s second-innings 226/2 declared saw opener Rory Burns make 90 as the West Indies were set a huge target of 399 for victory.
And there was still time for Broad to reduce the tourists, who had no answer to his late movement off a good length, to 10/2 at stumps on the third day.
Broad had the struggling John Campbell caught at first slip for a duck by England captain Joe Root and then moved to 499 Test wickets when nightwatchman Kemar Roach was caught behind.
Broad bowled the final over of the day’s play on Sunday, with his last ball just missing Shai Hope’s outside edge.
The only bowlers with more than 600 Test wickets are a trio of former spinners – Sri Lanka’s Muttiah Muralitharan (800), Australian Shane Warne (708) and India’s Anil Kumble (619).
The only seamers ahead of Broad are his longtime England new-ball colleague James Anderson (589) and the retired pair of Australia’s Glenn McGrath (563) and the West Indies’ Courtney Walsh (519).
Leading wicket-takers in Test cricket
| Player | Mat | Inns | Wkts | BBI | BBM | Ave | Econ | SR | 5 | 10 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| M Muralitharan (ICC/SL) | 133 | 230 | 800 | 9/51 | 16/220 | 22.72 | 2.47 | 55.0 | 67 | 22 |
| SK Warne (AUS) | 145 | 273 | 708 | 8/71 | 12/128 | 25.41 | 2.65 | 57.4 | 37 | 10 |
| A Kumble (INDIA) | 132 | 236 | 619 | 10/74 | 14/149 | 29.65 | 2.69 | 65.9 | 35 | 8 |
| JM Anderson (ENG) | 153* | 286 | 589 | 7/42 | 11/71 | 26.85 | 2.86 | 56.2 | 28 | 3 |
| GD McGrath (AUS) | 124 | 243 | 563 | 8/24 | 10/27 | 21.64 | 2.49 | 51.9 | 29 | 3 |
| CA Walsh (WI) | 132 | 242 | 519 | 7/37 | 13/55 | 24.44 | 2.53 | 57.8 | 22 | 3 |
| SCJ Broad (ENG) | 140* | 258 | 500 | 8/15 | 11/121 | 27.99 | 2.95 | 56.8 | 18 | 2 |
| DW Steyn (SA) | 93 | 171 | 439 | 7/51 | 11/60 | 22.95 | 3.24 | 42.3 | 26 | 5 |
| N Kapil Dev (INDIA) | 131 | 227 | 434 | 9/83 | 11/146 | 29.64 | 2.78 | 63.9 | 23 | 2 |
| HMRKB Herath (SL) | 93 | 170 | 433 | 9/127 | 14/184 | 28.07 | 2.80 | 60.0 | 34 | 9 |
- ‘Ridiculous achievement’ -
Broad took all the West Indies wickets to fall on Sunday in a combined return of 6/22 in seven overs, with his burst of 4/11 in 22 balls ending the visitors’ first innings after they had avoided the follow-on.
Rory Burns had hailed Stuart Broad’s “ridiculous achievement” as the veteran England paceman closed in on his 500th Test wicket.
“It’s a pretty ridiculous achievement to get to 500 (Test wickets),” opening batsman Burns had said.
Burns added: “It’s a nice place to be when his tail is up and he’s bowling like this.
“You feel every ball is going to come to you. We’ll be standing there waiting to catch it.”
Correction: The article originally mentioned Broad has been in eighth spot for a while. It has been corrected to seventh. The error is regretted.
(With AFP inputs)
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