Stuart Broad had pitched up at the MCG this week in something of a funk. Up to this point Broad had bowled far better than his none for 146 from 35 overs in Perth (the only way was up here, to be fair). Thus a barren spell that had begun during the day-nighter at Adelaide and swelled mightily in Perth hit a critical point. Some woeful catching may explain partly why his English summer was, at 20 wickets, his leanest for seven years. But on the opening day in Melbourne there were green shoots of recovery from Broad on a surface lacking any such vegetation.

Source: The Irish Times December 26, 2017 13:30 UTC