Broad walked the talk in Manchester after Southampton omission, says Hussain

Manchester, July 21 (IANS) Former England captain Nasser Hussain has heaped praise on Stuart Broad after the veteran fast-bowler starred with the ball in second Test against West Indies at the Old Trafford. Broad picked up three wickets in each innings and played a starring role, along with all-rounder Ben Stokes, to help the hosts record a 113-run win and level the three-match series 1-1 on Monday.

Broad, who was left out of the first Test, had given a fiery interview on national TV and Hussain lauded him for putting on a great performance after that tirade.

“If you talk the talk, you had to better make sure you then go and walk the walk. That’s exactly what Stuart Broad has done here on his return to the England side,” Hussain wrote in his column for Daily Mail.

“Once Broad had given Sky that interview during the first Test – talking about his anger and disappointment at losing ‘his shirt’ – he was going to be under a bit of pressure in the second Test at Emirates Old Trafford.

“It was almost a case of England saying: ‘Go on then, you have said how hard done by you feel at being left out, now go and show us.’ Broad has absolutely done that.

“Make no mistake, he wasn’t rested at the Ageas Bowl last week, he was left out. That’s why he was so cross ahead of his return to the team,” he added.

“But once England needed someone to stand up and do something, as they did after Tea on Day Four, those legs started pumping, the aggression came out and Broad did what he has done so often in his 138 Tests, taking almost 500 wickets.

The two teams will now face each other in the third and final Test beginning Friday.

–IANS

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