Stuart Broad's top 5 bowling spells in test cricket

England fast bowler Stuart Broad retired from the longest form of cricket with 604 scalps to his name.

On Monday, 31st July, 2023, one of England’s greats, Stuart Broad’s legendary test career came to an end at The Oval, when he dismissed Australian wicket-keeper Alex Carey. On the eve of 3rd Day of the test, Broad made a shocking announcement of his retirement from the game. He retired from the game on a high with England’s victory over the visitors in the fifth Ashes 2023 test.

Stuart Broad is one of the two England pacers to grab 600 wickets in Test cricket. He also has featured in 121 ODIs and has grabbed 178 scalps. In T20Is, he has featured in 56 matches and picked up 65 wickets.

In his impressive career, he has led England’s bowling attack from the front multiple times. Broad’s explosive spells have changed the course of the game multiple times, and there were times he had ripped the batting line-ups apart. Here are some of his best explosive spells where he changed the match’s result in the blink of an eye. 

Top 5 best bowling spells of Stuart Broad in test cricket:

5 for 5 against India in Trent Bridge, 2011: (Overall – 24.1-8-46-6)

Stuart Broad grabbed his first hat-trick of his Test career in 2011 as he rattled the Indian middle order in the Second Test at Trent Bridge.

India were leading by 46 runs and were 267 for 4 in their first innings. Stuart Broad took the second new ball and produced a spell to remember. The pacer dismissed Yuvraj Singh with an edge to the keeper. Then he got rid of MS Dhoni and Harbhajan Singh to pick up his first hat trick. Soon, he dismissed Praveen Kumar and Ishant Sharma to end his spell with 5 for 5 and had 6 for 21 overall. His spell helped England to win the Test by 319 runs.

6 for 22 against Australia in Chester Le Street, 2013: (Overall 18.3-3-50-6)

Stuart Broad owned Australia at Chester Le Street in 2013. After his fifer in the first innings, England set up a target of 299 in the second innings. Australia had an impressive start to the start with a 109-run partnership for the opening wicket. When Tim Bresnan and Swann dismissed the openers, Broad ripped apart Australia’s middle order. He dismissed Michael Clarke, Steve Smith, Brad Haddin, Ryan Harris and Nathan Lyon to help England win the Test by 74 runs. From 109 for 0, Australia managed only 224. 

6/17 vs South Africa in Wanderers in 2016:

Stuart Broad’s spell in Johannesburg is one of his best outside home. Notably, South Africa topped the ICC Test rankings in 2016. The home side was on course to produce a massive fourth-innings target for England. However, Broad changed things by running through the batting order of Proteas. He dismissed six South African players to give a memorable victory for the team. 

6 for 31 vs West Indies in Manchester, 2020:

Stuart Broad made an impact immediately after the Covid-19 pandemic as he proved too good for West Indies in 2020. West Indies toured England for the first time since the pandemic. Broad returned with six wickets in the first innings, dismissing West Indies for just 197. He bowled 14 overs and ended with 6 for 31.

He came back in the second innings, to remove four West Indies players to end wicket a ten-wicket haul in the match. Notably, he also crossed his 500th Test wicket during his spell.

8/15 against Australia in Trent Bridge in 2015:

Trent Bridge has been Broad’s famous hunting ground. While he has several memorable performances at home, his 8 for 15 against Australia in 2015 has to be his best. 

England had a 2-1 series lead before heading into the Trent Bridge Test in 2015. However, with James Anderson injured, England needed Stuart Broad to step up. Broad took the responsibility and led from the front with 8 for 15. In the spell that lasted just 9.3 overs, he dismissed eight of the Australian top-order to rattle them before lunch. 

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