As England Collapse In The Windies Broad And Anderson Rip Up The Old Course

Cricket legends James Anderson and Stuart Broad spent Thursday playing the Old Course at St Andrews while the England team that decided they were surplus to requirements suffered yet another collapse in the West Indies. The veteran fast bowlers, first and second on the all-time wickets list for England, were both controversially left out of the Caribbean tour.

Not required by their country, the quick bowling pair have been enjoying themselves on the golf course, taking to social media to post updates of their round on the legendary Old Course.

Without Anderson, who has taken 640 wickets in 169 Tests, and Broad, who has 537 in 152, the first two Tests have been drawn, with England’s new-look bowling attack seemingly incapable of bowling out the West Indies. That did at least set up an exciting deciding Test starting in Grenada on Thursday, but as Anderson, 39, and Broad, 35, hit the Old Course at St Andrews, the cricket team once again hit the buffers.

England slumped from 23-0 to 90-8, with only Alex Lees of the recognised batsmen, in just his third Test, making it to double figures, though his dismissal for 31 just after lunch came during a spell when the tourists lost three wickets for no runs. While England were toiling under the Carribean sun, Anderson and Broad were enjoying what Broad called ‘one of the great days’. Both of the England quick bowlers are known golf fans, and only last week Broad was enjoying a round at Woburn.

Ironically it was two of the bowlers who at least made England’s first innings respectable in Grenada, with last pair Jack Leach (41no) and Saqib Mahmood (49), in just his second Test, sharing the highest partnership of the day, putting on 90 for the last wicket. England finished day one all out for 204. How their new look bowling attack goes with the ball will once again be crucial.