The Ashes 2023: Stuart Broad becomes second pace bowler to take 600 Test wickets
- Published
Broad dismisses Head for 600th Test wicket
England's Stuart Broad has become just the second pace bowler to take 600 wickets in Test cricket.
Broad, 36, reached the mark by removing Australia's Travis Head on day one of the fourth Ashes Test at Old Trafford.
England team-mate James Anderson is the only other quick bowler to achieve the feat.
Broad is fifth on the all-time list and Anderson third, with spinners Muttiah Muralitharan, Shane Warne and Anil Kumble completing the top five.
Nottinghamshire bowler Broad made his debut against Sri Lanka in Colombo 2007, going on to make 166 Test appearances to date and be part of four Ashes-winning sides.
He began the Old Trafford Test on 598 wickets but moved to 599 when he trapped Usman Khawaja lbw, before bringing up 600 when Head was caught by Joe Root on the boundary.
"Never in my dreams did I think this would be a thing," Broad told BBC Sport.
"Michael Vaughan was the skipper that gave me my first cap and my ultimate feeling there in Sri Lanka was never that this was the end game but instead that I wanted to win series and create memories.
"Some players feel like they have achieved what they wanted to after getting a Test cap and I've been fortunate enough to create memories. Never did I think I would be up there with the greats of the game."
Most Test wickets | ||
|---|---|---|
Bowler | Wickets | Tests |
Muttiah Muralitharan (SL & ICC) | 800 | 133 |
Shane Warne (Aus) | 708 | 145 |
James Anderson (Eng) | 688 | 182 |
Anil Kumble (Ind) | 619 | 132 |
Stuart Broad (Eng)* | 600 | 166 |
Glenn McGrath (Aus) | 563 | 124 |
* Correct at time of Broad's 600th Test wicket | ||
Broad's wickets by opponent
In taking his 600th scalp, Broad surpassed Ian Botham to become the highest wicket-taker from any nation against Australia, with 149.
Only Australians Shane Warne (195), Dennis Lillee (167) and Glenn McGrath (157) have taken more in Ashes Tests.
Broad's magic spells
England team-mates congratulate Broad on 600 wickets
Broad is known for his devastating spells of bowling that turn matches in England's favour, including famously at his home ground Trent Bridge in 2015 when he took 8-15 to bowl out Australia for 60.
He also took 5-5 in just 5.1 overs against India at the same ground in 2011, including his first Test match hat-trick as MS Dhoni, Harbhajan Singh and Praveen Kumar fell in successive deliveries.
Broad, who is the son of former England batter Chris, is also well known for the hold he seemingly has over David Warner, having dismissed the Australia opener 17 times during his career.
Only two other players have dismissed a single batter more in Test cricket.
A second hat-trick against Sri Lanka in 2014 also means he is the only England bowler to take two Test hat-tricks.
Bowler dismissing batter most times in Tests | |
|---|---|
Glenn McGrath (Aus) v Michael Atherton (Eng) | 19 |
Alec Bedser (Eng) v Arthur Morris (Aus) | 18 |
Curtly Ambrose (WI) v Michael Atherton (Eng) | 17 |
Courtney Walsh (WI) v Michael Atherton (Eng) | 17 |
Stuart Broad (Eng) v David Warner (Aus) | 17 |
Broad has also played 121 one-day internationals and 56 T20s in his career. Overall, he has taken 843 international wickets across all three formats, putting him seventh on the all-time list.
In 2016 he was awarded an MBE in the Queen's Birthday Honours list for services to cricket.