England's Stuart Broad targets Ashes glory against Australia

Stuart Broad

Stuart Broad wants to summon up the spirit of The Oval 2009 as England aim for a third consecutive Ashes series triumph over Australia this summer.

The paceman ended the 2009 series as England's leading wicket-taker, his 5-37 in the first innings of the final Test helping them wrap up a 197-run win and a 2-1 triumph.

"Those scenes fuel your desire to do it all again. I have such ambitions to celebrate and have feelings like we did in that series again," Broad told BBC Sport.

"That's why you train. That's why you get up every day to try to improve yourself.

"Every time I walked back to my fielding position, the entire crowd would be up. It was an amazing feeling.

"When we walked off at tea, I sat down, looked at my phone, and I had 85 texts. I don't even know 85 people. I knew something special had happened."

Broad, who is likely to form part of England's attack in the first Test against New Zealand at Lord's starting on Thursday, expects the summer to challenge the team in new ways and old.

"I'm really conscious that it's the first time England are really going into the Ashes as favourites," he said.

"Even Matty Hayden says Australia are underdogs. When has an Australian ever said that?

"Equally, Australia are a very good team. Those who have come out, ex-players or whatever, saying England are going to cruise it - I think they've forgotten how tough Australia are to play against.

"We didn't win the Ashes in Australia for 25 years, which is why it's surprising to hear England players who played in that era saying we're going to walk all over them. It's not going to happen.

"It will be a very close series. They fight every ball. They never give up. They are hard. They have a passion for winning. Speak to any Aussie, at rugby or anything, and they just hate losing."

A year ago, with England top of the Test rankings, there was talk from within the camp of wanting to be remembered as the best England side of all time.

Last summer, England had the disappointment of a home series defeat to South Africa, followed up with a first series win in India for 28 years.

The home series against Australia will be followed in November by the first of five Tests down under.

"If we were to win four Ashes series in a row, it would be the first time England have done that in over 100 years," Broad said.

"These are stats that are massive for a team but they don't affect where the ball goes or whether you score runs.

"As a team, we're better with short, sharp targets. Let's not think about Sydney in January 2014. It will be, 'Let's win that first hour on the first day'.

"Of course you want to create a legacy. You want to be the Manchester United of cricket. But that doesn't happen without getting your basics right.

"Our skills still need to be better. In New Zealand we under-performed, although those pitches were designed for draws.

"We've dropped way more catches in the past 12 months than we did before, and that will be really important.

"It'll be hard work, getting physically and mentally right, that will win the Ashes."

With the back-to-back series, there have been concerns that both players and fans could suffer from overkill, but Broad - injured after just two Tests in the previous series in Australia - regards it as bonanza rather than burden.

He added: "I nip into a coffee shop in Nottingham, and it's all, 'Are you ready for the Ashes?' You feel like saying, 'Hold on, we've got two Tests against New Zealand first, and then the Champions Trophy'. All the country wants to know is about the Ashes.

"You get people who have no interest in cricket wanting us to beat Australia. It's hugely exciting to be involved in.

"To be able to watch 10 Ashes Tests on the bounce - not having to wait four years - is perfect.

"If I wasn't a player and I could watch on TV or the odd day in the flesh, I'd be absolutely buzzing."