Stuart Broad becomes fifth-highest wicket-taker in Tests: Details here
England pace spearhead Stuart Broad has surpassed the great Glenn McGrath in terms of Test wickets. The former took his 564th wicket on Sunday after dismissing Dean Elgar for 36 in South Africa's second innings. Broad is now the second-highest wicket-taker among pacers in Test cricket, only behind his team-mate James Anderson. He is also the fifth-highest wicket-taker overall.
564 wickets for Broad
Broad now has 564 wickets from 159 Tests. He claimed four scalps in the first innings. In July, he became just the third seamer to pick 550 wickets in Test cricket. He achieved the historic feat on Day 2 of the fifth Test against India at Edgbaston. Overall, Broad is only the sixth bowler to enter the 550-wicket club in the longest format.
Decoding Broad's Test numbers
Broad debuted in whites against Sri Lanka in Colombo in 2007. Since then, he has raced past 560 wickets in the format. At home, Broad has captured over 360 Test scalps and owns three 10-wicket hauls in a match. Meanwhile, he has plundered 176 and 20 wickets at away and neutral venues, averaging 32.27 and 22.85, respectively.
Here are the top 5 wicket-takers
Muttiah Muralitharan is the leading wicket-taker in the longest format with 800 scalps at 22.72. Shane Warne is second with 708 at 25.41. England's Anderson is third with 666 scalps. Anil Kumble claimed 619 scalps in his career, with Broad following suit.
Broad entered record books at Lord's
Earlier in the series, Broad completed 100 wickets (102) at Lord's (1st Test). Broad became the second bowler after Anderson to touch the 100-wicket mark at the Home of Cricket. Broad is the fourth bowler to take 100 Test wickets at a single ground.
England's third-most capped player in Test history
Broad's longevity is commendable as Anderson's. He has featured in a colossal 159 Tests for the Three Lions, the third most for an Englishman. Sachin Tendulkar (200), Anderson (175), Ricky Ponting (168), Steve Waugh (168), Jacques Kallis (166), Shivnarine Chanderpaul (164), Rahul Dravid (164), and Alastair Cook (161) have played more Tests than the seamer.
How has the third Test panned out?
Day 1 of the Test was marred by rain and the second day was canceled as a mark of respect for the demise of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II. England seamers rampaged thereafter, folding SA on 118. Seamer Ollie Robinson (5/49) was all class. England then managed 158, riding on Ollie Pope's 67. The hosts are back on top having uprooted SA's top four.
