Angry Stuart Broad Hits Back At Michael Vaughan Over 'Unfair Criticism'

England fast bowler Stuart Broad shot back at former captain Michael Vaughan for what he termed as 'unfair, targeted' criticism. The right-arm pacer said he had been angered by the comments made by Vaughan and said that the cricket pundit no longer had "much insight into the England changing room at all". After England's nine-wicket loss to Pakistan in the first Test at Lord's, Vaughan had suggested that either James Anderson or Broad should be dropped from the playing XI. Anderson and Broad are two of England's all-time leading bowlers in Test cricket with more than 900 wickets between them. The duo made Vaughan eat his words by taking three wickets each on the first day of the second Test at Headingley.

England were in the driver's seat by the end of the day's play with Pakistan packed up for a paltry 174 and the host 106 for two at close -- just 68 runs behind.

After the opening day's play, Broad said he got in touch with Vaughan and spoke to him about the comments he had made.

"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," Broad told reporters.

"So I called him and expressed my disappointment in his comments," added the 31-year-old Nottinghamshire paceman.

"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."

'Doesn't know'

However, Broad accepted Vaughan might be less than thrilled by his latest comments, saying: "I think I might have reignited a few things this evening, but I'm sure it will be fine come Monday."

England have lost six of their last eight Tests and Vaughan said the team needed freshening up if only to "ruffle feathers".

Broad, however, was unimpressed with the reasoning of the 43-year-old Vaughan, who last played Test cricket a decade ago.

"It's a complete shot in the dark really, isn't it?" Broad said.

"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?"

Broad led England's attack with three for 38 on Friday having managed just a solitary wicket at Lord's last week.

"Two Tests ago, I got eight wickets in Christchurch; I've been beating the bat, feeling in good rhythm, getting wickets for Nottinghamshire," explained Broad.

"So I felt like the criticism this week was a little bit unjustified -- but that's the world we live in."

As for the idea that Vaughan's remarks had spurred him on to success, Broad said: "I don't think it stung me into action," he added. "I like punditry ... I respect everyone's opinion... most of the time, especially when it's fair. I've come in for criticism a lot in my career, (and) a lot of it has been justified.

"At this level, you've always got a point to prove.

"We didn't do ourselves justice at Lord's at all... and we left angry as players," he added.

(With AFP Inputs)

Topics mentioned in this article

England Cricket Team Pakistan Cricket Team Stuart Broad James Anderson Michael Vaughan Cricket