England cool, calm and ready for Ashes storm: Broad

BRISBANE - The England cricket team is cool, calm and ready for Ashes storm, claims fast bowler Stuart Broad

In a write-up for The Sun, Broad said the preparation for the first encounter between the two cricketing rivals has been fantastic at the Allan Border Field.

“We have been with the England Performance Squad at Allan Border Field and the facilities have been fantastic. We haven’t seen a clear blue sky since we’ve been here but it has been very humid and we have got the lungs used to that,” Broad said.

“We’ve been very structured in the way we’ve been training. We will do 10 overs a day one day, then eight overs and two overs’ worth of running round the outfield to get miles in our legs the next. We’ve been bowling different-length spells, as we would in a Test match, and we have been working on the plans we have come up with along with bowling coach David Saker, both our attacking ones and the defensive options,” he added.

He also reveals that communication has been one of the strongest points of the English bowling unit.

He credits bowling coach David Saker for this, as also for helping the bowlers get use to the heavier Kookaburra ball, which will be used in the Ashes series Down Under.

“What I will say is the Kookaburra is more dangerous when it is new than the Duke we use in England. It swings more and the seam is more pronounced, but once those first 15 overs have gone it doesn’t do as much. It’s not something we’re concerned about,” said Broad.

On Saker, the right-arm fast bowler describes him as “a legend who has fitted into our camp so well.”

“I don’t think it’s a coincidence that we haven’t lost a series since he came along. He’s not a technical guy at all, and he’ll admit that, because he feels an international bowler will know how to bowl and what works for him. What he does is talk tactically about everything, both attacking and defensive plans,” he adds.

“We’re always talking and if ‘Sakes’ sees something off the pitch that we should be doing, he will send a message out to the field. He’s always feeding us information,” Broad says.

On the Test wicket at the Gabba, Broad says it will be one that you can be very aggressive on.

“It’s a wicket where, if you hit the right areas, you will have success. The Gabba wicket gets quicker on the second day, too. The new ball can be very dangerous here and you have to keep reminding yourself to be patient, patient, patient. As bowlers, we won’t be thinking about taking five wickets in a session,” he adds.

He concludes by saying that: “Everyone is feeling in good form, confident, bowling and batting well.

Brilliant catches and run-outs have been taken and executed, too. Everybody has taken something out of the three games and the lads are relaxed and enjoying themselves. No-one has gone into their shell. They have just carried on as usual. There is a feeling of quiet confidence about everyone.” (ANI)