Ashes 2023: Stuart Broad receives guard of honour from Australia on Day 4

The Day 4 of the fifth Ashes Test at the Oval in London had a fairytale beginning for England fast bowler Stuart Broad as he was welcomed by rousing applause from the crowd. The veteran seamer announced his surprise retirement post Stumps on Day 3 and hence was honoured by the crowd as he walked out to bat for the final time in Test cricket with his bowling partner James Anderson.

The 37-year-old also received a ‘guard of honour’ from the Australian team as well, as Anderson stopped behind him to let him have his moment and pass through the players. After Broad went past the Australian team, Steven Smith hilariously also asked Anderson to pass through the guard of honour. 

Watch the video here:

Stuart Broad makes his way to the pitch with Jimmy Anderson 🥺💫 pic.twitter.com/dpDJ5eoSt5

— Sky Sports Cricket (@SkyCricket) July 30, 2023

Coming back to the match, Broad thoroughly enjoyed his time in the middle as he swung his bat around in his last Test outing. Resuming his innings on the overnight score of 2*, the southpaw took on a short ball by Mitchell Starc in the first over of the day and whacked it over the deep square leg boundary for a six. The crowd went absolutely berserk seeing Broad at his vintage best, adding crucial runs down the order.

His final ball faced in Test Cricket? 🤔

A MASSIVE six! ❤️@StuartBroad8 🙌 pic.twitter.com/jHg99Q2nAi

— England Cricket (@englandcricket) July 30, 2023

Broad is the fifth-highest wicket-taker in Test history

Notably, with that six, he now has the fifth most number of sixes for England having 55 maximums to his name. However, their joy was short-lived as England got all out in the very next over, with Anderson getting lbw against Todd Murphy. England finished their innings on 395, setting a target of 384 for Australia in the fourth innings. Broad remained unbeaten on eight and rushed back to the pavilion to come on to bowl.

The Nottingham-born cricketer is the fifth-highest wicket-taker in the history of Test cricket with 602 scalps to his name from 167 matches at an average of 26.68 with 20 five-wicket hauls to his name.