Ashes: Stuart Broad shrugs off 'mystery injury' of James Anderson

England pacer Stuart Broad denied claims of teammate Jimmy Anderson carrying an injury. The 35-year-old showed obvious signs of discomfort on day three of the first Ashes Test in Gabba. According to cricket.com.au, the right-armer was seen grimacing on several occasions during the course of play and was also grabbing at his left side. "I don't really know where this mystery injury has come from, really. He's just bowled 30 overs for 50 (runs)," said Broad.

Stuart Broad. Pic/AFP

"I've spent the whole day with him and he's not moaned about anything or said he's sore or injured," the English pacer added. On Saturday morning, Anderson bowled just three overs with the second new ball before he was removed from the attack and fielded at mid-on for the remainder of the first session. The concern eased when the Lancashire pacer bowled a solid seven-over spell at his normal average speed, touching 130 kilometres-per-hour, consistently.

However, having bowled just seven of England's 42 overs after lunch, speculation re-started that Anderson was carrying an injury as he was shown to be in obvious discomfort when he picked up and threw a ball in from the boundary. Broad shrugged off the injury scare and brought respite to England supporters when he said that, "Obviously it was quite hot work out there, we had to rotate bowlers a little bit. A plan of 'Rooty' (England captain Joe Root) was to bowl four-or five-over spells to make sure we're always hitting the pitch."

Anderson suffered a groin injury last May playing in the County Championship, but played all seven Tests in the northern summer this year and also celebrated his 500th Test wicket. At stumps of Day Three, England have resumed their second innings and have taken a lead of seven runs. The visitors, however, lost two early wickets of Alastair Cook (seven) and James Vince (two). Josh Hazlewood picked up both the wickets.