Stuart Broad shocked the entire Cricket World when he announced that he’ll be retiring after Ashes 2023. He announced this while talking to Sky Sports after Day 3’s play in the final Test of Ashes 2023 at the Oval, London. While he takes the pitch for one last time in his international career for the Three Lions, here’s a look back at the top 3 performances of Stuart Broad against South Africa.
1. 6/17, Johannesburg, 2016 (Test)
Stuart Broad’s best performance against South Africa came in the 3rd Test of 2016’s England tour of South Africa. The Proteas were bowled out for 313 in the first innings with Stuart Broad bagging two. In reply, England scored 323 with a slender 10-run lead. In the next innings, South Africa were bowled out for just 83 runs as Stuart Broad led carnage on the Proteas’ batters. He scalped six wickets while conceding 17 runs in 12.1 overs. He ran through the South Africa top order and middle order scalping Dean Elgar, Stiaan van Zyl, Hashim Amla, Ab de Villiers, Faf du Plessis, and Temba Bavuma. England completed the easy chase of 74 runs and won the game by seven wickets.
2. 5/23, Nottingham, 2008 (ODI)
In the 2nd ODI of 2008’s South Africa tour of England, the Proteas were bowled out for 83 runs with Stuart Broad dropping his best ODI performance against South Africa. He scalped the top three – Graeme Smith, Herschelle Gibbs, and Jacques Kallis. He then returned to take the wickets of JP Duminy and Johan Botha and finished with figures of 5/23 in his ten overs. England chased down the modest target within 15 overs and won the game by 10 wickets. Stuart Broad was awarded the ‘Man of the Match’ for his extraordinary spell.
3. 5/69, Leeds, 2012 (Test)
In the second Test of 2012’s South Africa tour of England, Stuart Broad dropped his third-best performance against the Proteas. The home team won the toss and invited the Proteas out to bat first. South Africa posted 419 in their first innings and England replied with 425. Stuart Broad bagged three wickets in the first innings giving a preset to what was to follow. In the second Proteas innings, Broad ran through the middle-order with Kevin Pietersen helping him out with three crucial wickets of top-order batters. Broad dismissed AB de Villiers, Jacques Kallis, JP Duminy, Vernon Philander, and Morne Morkel as South Africa declared for 258/9. England survived the final innings and the game ended in a draw.