Ex-England captain Botham praises Broad's 'full-hearted' effort during Lord's Test

London, May 23(ANI): Former England captain Ian Botham has lauded Stuart Broad's match winning performance during the first Test against the West Indies at Lord's, saying he always gives hundred percent while wearing the England jersey.

Botham said it isn't easy for any bowler to grab a ten-wicket haul at Lord's, since the pitch gets flatter as the match progresses.

"For Stuart Broad to take 11-165 in the match and nestle under me on the honours board is a huge achievement, and one that I take my hat off to. I know exactly what it took from him to get those wickets, and I can tell you, he has earned them," Botham writes in his Daily Mirror column.
 
Botham expressed hope that Broad would stay injury free for a long time.

"What I like about Broady is that he just goes out there and gives it everything he's got. When he's wearing the England shirt, there are no half measures from him, and that is how the game should be played," Botham wrote.
 
"At times, during this match, it could have been easy to coast and bowl within yourself, but Broady kept charging in, and that is the sort of player every captain loves. I do hope he is free and clear of his injury worries, because that is the only thing to stop him from filling his bag full of wickets every time England play Test cricket," he added.
 
"He has a knack of getting wickets, and that is what it is all about. Some bowlers like to look at the runs column and keep that figure as low as possible, Broad is all about getting the wickets column as high as possible," he wrote. (ANI)