From 185-5 to 284-9, England’s daunting batting line-up fell like a pack of cards on Day 1 of the second Test against South Africa at Newlands in Cape Town.
Ben Stokes and Ollie Pope did make a good stand, but as soon as Stokes got out, England batsmen failed to hold their wicket for a long time. At stumps, England were 262-9 with Pope remained unbeaten on 56 and James Anderson batting on 3.
Apart from England’s poor display of batting, there was another incident which caught people’s attention. It was Stuart Broad’s bizarre dismissal, which became the ‘talk of the town’ as he failed to read a yorker from Kagiso Rabada.
Broad doesn’t have a reputation of a typical tailender. The reason being is that he has 3159 Test runs to his name, including 12 half-centuries and a hundred. However, on Friday, the 33-year-old did a blunder to become a laughing stock.
Broad faced a yorker from Rabada, but he misjudged it completely. He tried to get his bat down on time, but it got stuck in his left leg’s pad, and the ball went on to dismantle the stumps.
Comedy batting again from Stuart Broad 🙄 #hopeless pic.twitter.com/loJvbX7K4y
— Mr Geoff Peters (@mrgeoffpeters) January 3, 2020
Just seen the Stuart Broad wicket 😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂 pic.twitter.com/KiXDPvhwpu
— Matt (@tradermatt106) January 3, 2020
As usual, Twitterati were quick to respond to Broad’s funny dismissal.
Here are some of the best reactions:
Broad's batting in Test cricket is a tale of two halves- Pre Varun Aaron bouncer (2014-)- Post Aaron's bouncer.
— king_era (@backfoot_drive7) January 3, 2020
Stuart Broad was more that a competent batsman years ago, where he could threaten down the order! Since that blow to the head off Varun Aaron in 2014, he just hasn’t been the same and has backed away from most deliveries. #SAvsENG https://t.co/SlFXjTL26G
— Nishad Pai Vaidya (@NishadPaiVaidya) January 3, 2020
Sums up England’s day as Broad gets his bat stuck in his pad pic.twitter.com/ijYfFMD2PQ
— simon hughes (@theanalyst) January 3, 2020
Stuart Broad in Tests
Until end of 2014: 74 Tests, Avg 24.09, 1*100, 10*50sSince 2015: 62 Tests, Avg 12.07, 2*50s.
2013 Ashes: Broad edged to slip & stood his ground.
2014 v India: Broad felled by a nasty bouncer.
The game of cricket can bite you back! https://t.co/UBFu8bp03S— Arun Gopalakrishnan (@statanalyst) January 3, 2020
Stuart Broad’s transformation into Phil Tufnell is now complete. pic.twitter.com/ZLZPE9JMAf
— Helen Dale (not on your team, but always fair) (@_HelenDale) January 3, 2020
https://twitter.com/amedwards9/status/1213135324232196098
https://twitter.com/pattyboy9/status/1213256307223871490
Bae: Come over
Stuart Broad: No, no I'm batting for England. Have to get the team to the 300 mark to give us a chance of leveling the series. The team needs me badly.
Bae: I'm home alone
Stuart Broad:#SAvENG #SAvsENG #Cricket pic.twitter.com/oAXMJrNPyR
— CricBlog ✍ (@cric_blog) January 4, 2020
