England pacer Stuart Broad on Thursday became the second bowler in the world to take 400 Test wickets in this decade. His teammate James Anderson is the first bowler to have achieved the elusive feat. Broad completed 400 scalps in this decade with the dismissal of Proteas skipper Faf du Plessis in the ongoing first Test between England and South Africa at the SuperSport Park in Centurion.
Broad needed two wickets ahead of the first Test against South Africa to complete 400 scalps in the decade. He removed South Africa number three Zubayr Hamza on 39 in the 22nd over to open his account before sending back Du Plessis on 29 in the 37th over. Broad is the second-highest Test wicket-taker of the current decade behind only compatriot Anderson.
With 428 wickets, Anderson leads the list and is followed by Broad (401), Australia’s Nathan Lyon (376), Sri Lanka’s Rangana Herath (363) and India’s Ravichandran Ashwin (362). Earlier, Anderson became the first bowler to play 150 Test matches. Making a return from an injury, the right-arm pacer dismissed Dean Elgar on the first ball of the match.
England bowlers dominated the proceedings on the first day of the Centurion Test. After Anderson got the visitors off to a good start with the ball, Sam Curran and Broad struck to ensure South Africa’s top-order was bundled out cheaply. Quinton de Kock staged a fightback for the hosts with a gritty 95 off 128 balls.
