England fast bowler Stuart Broad said that the team should let the administrators worry about off-field issues and concentrate solely on making a good start to the Ashes later this year. The series starts on December 8 with the first Test being played at the Gabba.
Australia had not a lost a Test at the venue since 1988 until earlier this year when India beat them by three wickets. Broad said that it will be a major boost to win the first Test at the Gabba considering that Australia’s Ashes record at the venue remains intact.
“We need our sole focus to be exceptional for Brisbane. The Gabba holds the key to the series, because they’ve got a good record there,” Broad is quoted as saying by ESPNCricinfo.
“Admittedly they lost to India, but we need to start the series well, and make sure that we’re 100% on the money at Brisbane, because we can put this Australia team under pressure on the field, and off the field, if we do our job really well to start. We’ll be very well prepared for that,” he said.
Broad is coming into the series after recovering from a calf injury but he feels that he is not too far behind his teammates or his opponents as far as preparation for the series is concerned.
“The Aussies haven’t played for a great deal of time, a lot of our guys are playing T20 cricket, some guys haven’t played since September, so I don’t feel like I’m behind the eight-ball at all. I actually feel like I’m approaching the series mentally fresh, and ready to hit the ground running,” said Broad.
