Broad all set to shine in home Test

England fast bowler Stuart Broad all set for home Test at Nottingham

England fast bowler Stuart Broad all set for home Test at Nottingham

Weather is not expected to be a hindrance for India in their quest to regain lost ground here in Trent Bridge against England on Friday after Monday's 196-run debacle at Lord's. But Stuart Broad and Graeme Swann could well be sharpening their knives for a home Test.


England's Stuart Broad celebrates after dismissing Praveen Kumar on
Day Five of the first Test against India at Lord's on Monday.
PIC/GETTY IMAGES

"Stuart Broad and Graeme Swann are always passionate about playing at Trent Bridge. I know that Stuart is looking forward to the match because conditions have suited him here in the past," Michael Temple, Nottinghanshire County Cricket Club's Head of Marketing and Communications told MiD DAY yesterday.

Broad has played two Tests here - against New Zealand in 2008 and Pakistan last year. Both ended in massive wins for England. He has claimed a total of seven wickets here. His father Chris, now a match referee, played for the county too.

He said that the forecast is good for Test: "We are not expecting rain to play a big part in this Test."

It can be recalled that Rahul Dravid's team had to train at an indoor facility at the University of Loughborough before the 2007 Test, due to rain nuisance. But the showers stayed away during the Test in which Zaheer Khan starred.

Off-spinner Swann will be itching to please his home crowd and takes a lot of pride being a Nottinghamshire player. "Swann always credited our coaching staff for his return to international cricket. He worked very hard here," said Temple.

After his disappointment at Lord's, the Nottinghamshire crowd would be hoping for Tendulkar to score his 100th international hundred here. "We will be proud to see his name on the honours board here," said Temple. For the record, Tendulkar got out in the 90s in his last two Tests here - 92 in 2002 and 91 in the first innings of the 2007 Test win.

In 1996, he scored 177 and helped put on 255 with Sourav Ganguly for the third wicket in a drawn Test.