London: Veteran England pacer Stuart Broad revealed that head coach Brendon McCullum inspired the team’s sensational victory in the second Test against New Zealand at Trent Bridge, urging them to “attack and run towards the danger”.
With a new captain in Ben Stokes, McCullum has been getting great reviews for England looking a lot more optimistic in their attitude and performances going for an upswing, seen from an unassailable 2-0 lead in the three-match home series against New Zealand, which was sealed by England chasing 299 in exactly 50 overs on the final day of Trent Bridge Test with five wickets in hand.
“There’s no doubt that Baz (McCullum) has had an impact already. It does feel really fresh and exciting in the changing room. It’s a very positive language. It’s very forward-thinking, all about how to move this game forward. This is no dig but at tea, when we were four down with the game in the balance slightly, I’ve certainly been in changing rooms in the past where that would be shut up shop time,” Broad was quoted as saying by Sky Sports.
“Baz’s team talk was very much ‘let’s attack the danger; let’s run towards the danger’ so every part of your mind is about going for this win. It was never really a case of ‘if we lose one we might shut up shop’. It was always ‘we’re going to win’ and if it doesn’t work, don’t worry about it,” added Broad, who has taken 546 wickets in 154 Tests.
Broad disclosed that he’s been impressed by McCullum’s ability to simplify the game and brings attention to the small things happening in the match. “I don’t think he’s spoken particularly deeply, his whole mantra is about enjoyment and fun. The energy is: How good is Test cricket? How good is this ground? What can we get out of today?”
“He looks like a guy who has a cricket brain that is working all the time, he’s thinking how we can change the game. It’s not just praising guys who get a hundred, it’s tiny little things, bits of fielding, and momentum changes in the game. He will bring attention to that.”
Broad, 35, signed off by praising batter Jonny Bairstow for his 77-ball century in the Trent Bridge Test and sharing a match-changing 179-run stand with Stokes. “I didn’t quite expect to see what I saw from Jonny. It was the most outrageous hour I’ve seen in Test cricket from a partnership. It was just exhilarating, astonishing. That’s striking… only a handful of players in the world can do that. Jonny is obviously in that group.”
–IANS
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