Stuart Broad RETIRES aged 37 in shock announcement live on Sky as England legend calls time on glittering 17-year career

STUART BROAD loved the heat of battle - and especially Ashes battle - more than any other England cricketer.

He was controversial and mischief-making but, most of all, Broad was a man who raised his performance higher and higher on the biggest occasions.

On his day, and there were plenty of them, he was an irresistible force as a bowler, who swept aside opponents on a wave of skill and adrenalin.

His eight for 15 at Trent Bridge in 2015 was one of the all-time great bowling performances in Test cricket. 

The Oval in 2009 or Durham in 2019 were not far behind, spells that secured victories over the oldest enemy.

“Broady’s on one,” was a regular refrain in the England dressing-room.

It is perhaps telling that Broad’s record against Australia is conspicuously superior to that of his mate and long-time new-ball partner, James Anderson.

Broad has 151 wickets at 28.93 while Anderson’s numbers are 117 wickets at 35.52.

And he is the leading wicket-taker in this current series with 20 victims. Broad is the only England bowler to play all six Tests this summer and he finishes absolutely on top of his game.

He passed the incredible milestone of 600 Test wickets in the previous match at Old Trafford. Only Anderson and three spinners have reached that number.

Broad loved winding up the Aussies. Even in this final match, he on Friday performed an act of what might be described as cricket s***housery by switching the bails while Marnus Labuschagne was batting.

He knew it would get into Labuschagne’s head and, as if by magic, Australia’s No.3 was brilliantly caught at slip by Joe Root off the very next delivery.

There was his refusal to walk after edging to slip - via wicketkeeper Brad Haddin’s gloves - at Trent Bridge in 2013. That caused outrage Down Under with hundreds of rude T-shirts printed and the local paper in Brisbane even refused to print his name.

Indeed, Broad laughingly tells the story of once being asked directions in Australia by a man wearing a ‘Stuart Broad is a s*** bloke’ T-shirt.

Broad knew the Ashes war of words was not to be taken too seriously and, anyway, he nearly always backed up his comments or behaviour with top-notch performances.

He does not possess the speed of Mark Wood or the box of tricks of Anderson but he is a very clever bowler indeed.

Broad analyses his opponents, searching for vulnerability. Right until the end, he has tried to improve and, before this series, claimed to have developed an awayswinger.

There might have been some kidology in that but he dismissed Labuschagne for a golden duck in the First Test with just such a delivery.

During Covid, he took to wearing a white headband and, to him, it was an expression of hostility and intent. It became his trademark in later years.

Brendon ‘Baz’ McCullum was the second wicket of his Test career and a further 17 have come at the expense of David Warner.

And, like so many current England players, Broad speaks of enjoying the last 15 months of Bazball as much as any period in his international career.

Stuart’s dad, Chris, was a tall, strong left-hander who scored three centuries in England’s successful Ashes mission of 1986-87 and he has been a match referee for many years. So there is a strong family connection to cricket.

Broad was mainly a batter during his teenage years and he scored a Test century - 169, no less - against Pakistan at Lord’s in 2010.

But his batting gradually faded, particularly after a couple of nasty blows to the helmet. Broad’s bowling remained undiminished, his speed the same, his love of the fight strong and his know-how ever-increasing.

He is a father now after his fiancee Mollie King, the singer and broadcaster, gave birth to a girl called Annabella.

Broad has a place waiting for him in the Sky TV commentary box. He will be very good in front of the microphone, too, because he is articulate and observant.