Sunday at the Oval was supposed to be Stuart Broad’s final heroic farewell, but the day ended on a bittersweet note, with his old rival David Warner standing firm, before the rain fell in the afternoon.
The build-up was immense. Broad must have expected something similar when he announced his impending retirement after play on day three, but as he warmed up to a montage of his greatest hits England fans would have thought that surely he could strike again.
The stage was set, the trumpets were warmed up in preparation, the fans all trickled in, people were posting their favourite Broad memories across social media, but instead it was Australia who had the last laugh.
For the first 10 minutes of play however, it was a fitting end for the man who has played 167 Test matches and taken 602 wickets.
He walked out to bat with his old friend and teammate James Anderson, arm in arm to a guard of honour from the Australian team.
While England’s innings would only last nine minutes, it held a bit of everything for cricket fans. Broad finished his final Test innings unbeaten, having hit a six off his final ball, becoming only the second player to do so, after Wayne Daniel of the West Indies in 1984.
For Marcus Trescothick, former England opener and now batting coach, it was the ideal way for Broad to finish his career, having at one point been an all rounder.
“Brilliant wasn’t it,” Trescothick said. “For most people it is when their stumps are knocked over or they’ve nicked one to slip or you’re bowling but to think you could hit your last ball for six… we were all thinking about declaring at that point and bringing everyone in but good for him really.
“It was a great reception, it was really nice. Him and Jimmy [Anderson] walking out together, I know Jimmy was hanging back a little bit, but for Stuart to get a just reward really for the hard work and dedication he’s put in for such a long time was really nice to see.”
Where there has been Broad, there has also been Anderson, who was sung happy birthday by the fans, before pulling out a trademark reverse sweep.
Broad will play his final day of Test cricket on Monday at the Oval— (Action Images via Reuters)
Unfortunately for England, Anderson being given out lbw was the last wicket of the day, and to the displeasure of England fans, it could be a fond farewell for Warner, rather than the bowler who has claimed his wicket 17 times in the format.
But Trescothick believes if there is one more fairytale left, it will be Broad taking another five-fer in an Ashes series, something he has achieved in every other home series against Australia, before the current one.
“We were talking this morning, if there was one more fairytale left it would be ideal if it was Stuart’s last five-fer, one to win or two to win and he runs in and gets his last five-fer something like that would be brilliant wouldn’t it?” he said.
“We don’t quite see the fairytales that we want to see at times but it would be lovely to dream of it.”
Broad walked out to bat for the last time in Test cricket before day four ended early due to rain— (Getty)
Warner has never scored a century in England, but when the rain fell, he was on 58, and Usman Khawaja 69 in a partnership that has put a small amount of hope and belief into the hearts of Australians.
For Broad, who explained his love of the Ashes in the press conference immediately following his announcement on the evening after the third day, it may seem a bittersweet moment. Not just for the rain, but the fact that Australia have been allowed to find a way back into the game, when given a chase of 384 to win, but as has happened so often in the series so far, going into day five the game remains in the balance.
