Ashes 2023: “Toenail falling off, blood seeping out of bandages,” Nasser Hussain lauds Stuart Broad’s effort with ball at Edgbaston

Broad produced a terrific spell to keep England’s hopes alive at stumps on Day 4.

Former cricketer-turned-commentator Nasser Hussain on Tuesday (June 20) lauded England pacer Stuart Broad’s effort with the ball on the fourth day of the Ashes 2023 opener against Australia at Edgbaston.

Chasing 281 to win, Usman Khawaja and David Warner got Australia off to a solid start, adding 61 runs for the opening wicket. Ollie Robinson drew the first blood by dismissing Warner for 36.

Subsequently, Broad produced a terrific spell to keep England’s hopes alive, dismissing Marnus Labuschagne (13) and Steve Smith (6) in quick succession.

Broad, 36, reignited England’s victory bid while fighting through pain and Hussain was full of praise for the veteran fast bowler.

“He is one who can say that he always gave it his absolute everything,” Nasser Hussain wrote in his column for The Daily Mail.

“Broad was on his knees with two balls to go in that spell, he had been sprinting back to the end of his mark to beat the clock and bowl one more over, and that for me is all you can ever ask of an England cricketer.

“With him, he strains every sinew, gives every ounce of effort and he’s just going to give it everything until he hangs up his boots. His sense of theatre, his sense of occasion, his sense of when to lift his game, and his sense of how to get great players out is second to none.”

“You can see Broad cares about this, his ninth and possibly last Ashes series, as much if not more than his previous eight and his record against Australia is what he will be remembered for.

“Even at 36, he went away and worked behind the scenes to perfect the outswinger that did for Labuschagne and Smith in this fourth innings.

“And if you want to know how much Broad puts his body through, you should have seen his feet after the first innings. Shoeless, he walked towards me, his whole foot strapped, toenail falling off, blood seeping out of the bandages.”

Coming to the Edgbaston Test, Australia reached 107/3 at the close of play on Day 4 with Usman Khawaja (34*) and Scott Boland (13*) unbeaten in the middle.

The Test match hangs in balance heading into the final day, with the hosts needing seven wickets and the tourists requiring 174 more runs to win the contest.