Broad overtakes India’s Ravichandran Ashwin, while injured South Africa paceman Dale Steyn drops to third ahead of Pakistan’s Yasir Shah, who is now suspended after returning a positive test for a banned substance.
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Stuart Broad, England fast bowler, has jumped to the peak of the ICC Test rankings for bowlers after his devastating spell of 6 for 17 set up England’s seven-wicket win against South Africa in the Johannesburg Test on Saturday (January 16).
But although England would go on to win the fourth Test by an innings and 54 runs, Broad was not present for the finale after being hit on the face when a Varun Aaron bouncer squeezed between his grille and helmet.
South Africa, having bowled England out for 323 to limit them to a first-innings lead of 10, were 23-0 shortly after lunch.
It got worse for the home side when their other kingpin Hashim Amla (five) clipped the ball to James Taylor at short-leg, who showed excellent reactions to take a low catch.
Bowling: Anderson 10-1-26-1, Broad 12.1-6-17-6, Stokes 8-1-24-2, Finn 3-0-14-1.
However, Finn felt tightness on his left side and will be assessed today.
“But at this stage it looks like we have to make a replacement heading into the last Test. That’s unfortunate because I thought he was probably our most risky bowler in the first two Tests”.
England will enjoy a well-deserved celebration with blessing after clinching a series win in South Africa.
The defeat toppled South Africa from top spot on the International Cricket Council’s Test rankings.
“It’s never nice to lose a series…it nearly feels like all hope is gone, but I’m the kind of guy to get myself going for that last Test match and get the team going too”.
“It was a good time to bowl, but you’ve still got to take your catches and get the ball in the right area”, Broad said. Joe Root was out early in the day for 110 for England, and Kagiso Rabada took that important wicket in a career-best 5-78 for the South African quick.
James Anderson belatedly joined the fun in his first over after the break, Hardus Viljoen trapped plumb lbw, but it was fitting for Broad to wrap things up.
Now, after his innings of 45 this morning he has 345 runs across the three Tests so far – the most by an England keeper in a series since Matt Prior against the West Indies in 2007.
“That was the sort of wicket as a seam bowler you’d like to take around everywhere”.
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“We had a chat with the coaches and the bowling group before we went out for the second innings, we talked about bringing the batsmen forward a lot more and using the bouncer of course, but trying to get the edges from a fuller length”.
