back icon

News

Stokes hails enduring quality of pace pair Anderson and Broad

article_imageNEWS
Last updated on 19 Feb 2023 | 07:16 AM
Follow Us
Stokes hails enduring quality of pace pair Anderson and Broad

The duo wreaked havoc in the second innings by scalping eight wickets between them to power England to a 1-0 win

After a commanding 267-run win against New Zealand away from home, England skipper Ben Stokes stated that England do want to think about the time the duo will hang up their boots after the bowling greats destroyed New Zealand's batting in the first Test at Mount Maunganui.

During the match, they became the most successful partnership in history, climbing to 1,009 wickets in Tests played together to overhaul the celebrated Australians, Shane Warne and Glenn McGrath.

James Anderson now has 682 Test wickets in all, and Stuart Broad's 571 scalps do not really do justice to the impact the pair have on their teammates and the respect they command in the dressing room. 

"Not only were they brilliant in this game with the ball, but I said last night in the dressing room that we've got a 40-year-old Anderson and a 36-year-old Broad setting the standard of what we're about in the field in terms of energy," Stokes said. 

"You look at how many games they've won for England and how many more they probably will do going forward. They're setting a great example not only for us in the dressing room, but I think for anyone who wants to have a long career in professional sport," said Stokes.

"I don't want to think too far ahead as to when they might call time on their careers because the way they're going at the moment, you don't want to think about that."

New Zealand captain Tim Southee is his country's third-greatest wicket-taker with 355 wickets, but that figure is dwarfed by Anderson and Broad, who are third and fifth on the all-time Test list, and the top two seam bowlers.

Southee also conceded that he is in awe of the quality of the two speedsters. "Those two have been phenomenal now for a very long time, not only their skills and ability on the field but just the way they've been able to keep their bodies intact and the work that goes in away from the game," he said

"I've been a big fan of both of them for a long period of time. It doesn't look like they're slowing down any time soon," he concluded. 

(With inputs from AFP)

Related Article

Loader