Steve Smith’s gesture at James Anderson© Twitter
The ongoing Ashes 5th Test at the Oval is the final time the pairing of James Anderson and Stuart Broad will be bowling in tandems for the England team. Broad, who announced his decision to retire on Day 3 of the Test, will be wearing the England jersey for the final time on the 5th day of the match. On Day 4, Broad also received a Guard of Honour from the Australian team as he walked out to bat alongside Anderson. However, Australia batter Steve Smith also poked fun at Anderson as the tourists gave Broad the Guard of Honour.
Between Anderson and Broad, it’s the former who is the ‘bigger veteran’ but it’s the latter who decided to hang his boots. As Anderson an Broad walked out to bat on Day 4 of the Oval Test, Smith cheekily asked the former if he would also like to get a Guard of Honour like his teammate.
“It was Broad wanting to put his arm around Jimmy and almost say, ‘Come with me’ and Jimmy was like, ‘I’m having none of it. This is all about you’,” Mel Jones said on Sky Sports during commentary.
“And because retirement is not on his mind,” said fellow commentator Michael Atherton. “Of course, it was Broad’s moment, you’re quite right. He just tried to encourage Jimmy through but Jimmy hung back there and then once Stuart had got through the Aussies said to Jimmy, ‘Are you coming? Are you coming?’ And he said, ‘No, no. It’s not my time yet’.”
Here’s the video:
For the final time with the bat…@StuartBroad8 and @Jimmy9 head out to the middle together
A special moment #EnglandCricket | #Ashes pic.twitter.com/6sL5K7vuQL
— England Cricket (@englandcricket) July 30, 2023
Anderson, who didn’t have the best of Ashes 2023 assignment, continues going strong at the age of 41. A veteran of 183 Tests for England, Jimmy still feels he has a few things to offer the national team.
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