England v Pakistan: Broad fires back at Vaughan criticism in best way at Headingley

England's Stuart Broad celebrates taking the wicket of Pakistan's Usman Salahuddin at Headingley. Picture: Martin Rickett/PA

STUART BROAD last night revealed that he phoned Michael Vaughan to express his disappointment after the former England captain said that he should have been dropped for the Headingley Test.

Vaughan said that he would axe the Nottinghamshire pace bowler following the nine-wicket defeat to Pakistan at Lord’s because the England side are too comfortable and need “ruffling”.

Broad said he was angered by the comments, made on BBC Radio 5 Live, but insisted that he held no grudge against his former international team-mate.

“I called him (Vaughan) and expressed disappointment in his comments,” said Broad, who was England’s best bowler with 3-38 yesterday as the hosts dismissed Pakistan for 174 before closing day one on 106-2.

HITTING BACK: Michael Vaughan received a phone call from Stuart Broad after calling for him to be dropped from the England Test team.

“I’m friends with Vaughany; he’s great company and I’m very open to criticism, and I’m not going to hold a personal grudge. I understand criticism. I get it.

“I like hearing different people’s opinions. I respect everyone’s opinion most of the time. I just thought it was a bit unfair and a bit targeted really.”

Broad denied that he used such criticism to help motivate him yesterday, where England looked a side transformed from their setback at Lord’s.

“I don’t think that it stung me into action,” he said. “At this level, you’ve always got a point to prove, and I know myself that I’m bowling well. As a team, we didn’t do ourselves justice at Lord’s, and we left the ground angry as players.”