5-37 V AUSTRALIA, 2009
Broad doesn’t only win matches – he wins the matches that win the series. The precedent was set at The Oval seven years ago, a spell that changed Broad’s life. Two weeks before, many wanted him dropped; two weeks later he was being interviewed by Jonathan Ross. In the Ashes decider, Broad reduced Australia from 73 for nought to 111 for seven. His wickets included a coming-of-age dismissal of Ricky Ponting and a gorgeous outswinger to bowl Brad Haddin. Broad had hit upon a formula of bowling fast, full and straight that would inform so many of his match-winning spells.
6-46 V INDIA, 2011
On his home ground at Trent Bridge, with England in trouble in the second Test against the world’s No1 side India, Broad changed everything with a dramatic spell on the Saturday evening. He took five of the last six wickets to fall without conceding a run, including the first of his two Test hat-tricks. India, who had been set for a big lead, lost their last six wickets for 21 runs and were eventually thrashed by 319 runs. Broad was later named man of the series for the only time in his career so far.
7-44 V NEW ZEALAND, 2013
With New Zealand needing 239 to win a thrilling low-scoring Test at Lord’s, Broad gave an opportune reminder of his appetite for destruction. He dismissed Peter Fulton with his third delivery and took five wickets in his first six overs to reduce a strong New Zealand batting lineup to 29 for six. After a relative recovery, Broad picked up two more to finish with then career-best figures of seven for 44 as New Zealand were skittled for 68.
6-50 V AUSTRALIA, 2013
No Englishman, not even Sir Ian Botham, can match Broad’s record of three man-of-the-match awards in Ashes-winning victories. The second came at Chester-le-Street in 2013, when Australia were cruising towards a target of 299. After Tim Bresnan opened the door with a beastly delivery to dismiss David Warner, Broad bowled the Australian captain Michael Clarke with a jaffa and set off on a furious spell of six for 20 that gave him another victory over his favourite enemy.
8-15 V AUSTRALIA, 2015
If Broad plays to the age of 50, he will never top this: bowling Australia out for 60 on his home ground to win the Ashes, and taking his 300th Test wicket as well. Unlike his earlier Ashes-winning spells, Broad harassed the outside edge rather than the stumps. All eight batsmen were taken in the slips, with Ben Stokes’s staggering catch to dismiss Adam Voges the highlight.
