By Dave Clark
Stuart Broad has called on England to come out all guns blazing again tomorrow after the hosts continued to dominate the third Investec Test against India at the Ageas Bowl.
The tourists finished day three on 323 for eight– still 246 behind England’s first-innings 568 for seven declared.
Broad took three of the seven wickets to fall today, with James Anderson and Moeen Ali each striking twice, but the seamer was keen to emphasise that the job is not yet done.
“It’s going to be an important hour for us tomorrow morning to get those two wickets,” he toldecb.co.uk.
“(Mahendra Singh) Dhoni can be hugely dangerous when he bats with the tail, so we need to come out with the same energy we had today.
“It’s been a fantastic day for us I think. At the end of day four, day five, it will deteriorate nicely.
“To have got ourselves in a position like we have done is credit to the whole bowling unit - regardless of who picked up wickets, we created pressure the five of us that bowled and I think it’s a rewarding day for the hard work we’ve put in.”
Asked about the prospect of enforcing the follow-on, Broad suggested that batting again first may be the preferred option.
“I’d bat again, get 400 ahead, give the bowlers a bit of rest and get back in the field,” he added.
“We worked hard as a unit all day and we deserved a bit of luck towards the end.
“We’ve played some really good cricket in this Test match and we’re due a win – and every player in that dressing room is desperate for that.”
Anderson and Broad’s combined six scalps so far in the Test have made the pair only the third opening partnership in Test history to share 500 wickets playing together, after Pakistan greats Waqar Younis and Wasim Akram and West Indian legends Courtney Walsh and Curtly Ambrose.
“It’s a great record,” Broad continued. “To be in the company of Waqar and Wasim and Courtney and Curtly is very special.
“Those four are heroes of mine growing up and it’s an honour to be in that company.”