England bowler Stuart Broad does not hold 'personal grudge' after Michael Vaughan criticism

David Clough 12:32 02/06/2018
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  • Stuart Broad (c) in action for England.

    Stuart Broad was angered by Michael Vaughan’s criticism before the second Test but will bear no grudges over his former captain’s comments.

    Vaughan suggested in both his Daily Telegraph column and BBC radio programme that England should consider dropping either Broad or his record-breaking pace partner James Anderson at Headingley.

    On day one of a Test England must win to avoid series defeat, they both took three wickets – as did Chris Woakes – to bowl Pakistan out for 174.

    After England had then closed on 106 for two, Broad confirmed he had taken Vaughan to task.

    “You get used to both positive and negative opinions…but sometimes I don’t think it is justified,” he said.

    “This time, it did anger me a little bit – because I thought it was a bit unfair, and a bit targeted really. So I called him and expressed my disappointment in his comments.”

    Broad felt he had no choice but to do so.

    He added: “I’m not going to hold a personal grudge if someone criticises me, particularly if I feel like I deserve it.

    “I’m friends with Vaughany. He was a fantastic captain to me, gave me a great opportunity…he’s great company.

    “But I just didn’t feel like I really deserved that, so I thought I’d express that opinion to him.”

    He believes the phone call had a good outcome, but is prepared for the possibility of a frosty weekend before normal relations resume following his frank close-of-play press conference on Friday.

    “There’s no point in it just spinning around my mind and annoying me,” he added. “I always think if you talk about things it gets it off your chest and you feel better.

    “I think I might have reignited a few things this evening, but I’m sure it will be fine come Monday.”

    Vaughan’s rationale was that England, who have lost six of their last eight Tests, may benefit from a change of personnel just to “ruffle feathers”.

    But Broad said: “It’s a complete shot in the dark really, isn’t it? He doesn’t know what the changing room is like. I don’t think he’s got much insight into the England changing room at all.

    “I don’t think the players talk to him about cricket or what’s going on within the changing room, so I think it was a bit of a wild guess. But it’s personal columns, radio shows that need ‘likes’ and air time, isn’t it?”

    Either way, Broad responded with figures of three for 38 – having managed just one wicket in England’s crushing defeat at Lord’s last week.

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