England must improve all-round after Ben Stokes' heroics provide Ashes lifeline, says Stuart Broad

After accruing just three runs from his first 72 deliveries and then seeing five wickets fall around him for just 41 runs, Stokes breathed new life into this Ashes series almost on his own

A shell-shocked Stuart Broad described Ben Stokes as having “the heart of a lion” after the allrounder dragged England to a scarcely believeable victory at Headingley.

After accruing just three runs from his first 72 deliveries and then seeing five wickets fall around him for just 41 runs, the Durham star breathed new life into this Ashes series with a display of extraordinary stroke-play and courage.

“He had great determination last night to get through that tricky period when Australia bowled beautifully,” Broad reflected to Sky Sports. “He stayed in first gear until nine down. He just kept going.

"To be able to put that Jos Buttler out of his mind is an incredible skill as well, to just focus on his job. To be able to flip from first gear to fifth gear in the way that he did and clear the ropes shows what a freakish cricketer he is.

“The bloke has got the heart of a lion. Everything he does is for the best of the team. He’s the perfect teammate.

“He didn’t celebrate his fifty, he didn’t celebrate his hundred. It was just all about winning this Test match. He deserves everything that will come his way because he’s an incredible cricketer and even better bloke.”

^{Stuart Broad congratulated Ben Stokes on the field}

Broad, who still sounded genuinely taken aback by what he had witnessed – his own game ended with a second-ball dismissal to James Pattinson, added: “The emotions of that last hour were just outrageous.

“Cricketers don’t go through that in careers. And for some of these World Cup players, to go through that twice in six weeks is just outrageous really. It was one of those days that becomes one of those ‘I was there’ sort of moments. It was very special to watch Ben Stokes do what he did.”

In response to being asked whether there were times when he believed England’s Ashes hopes had gone – Jack Leach joined Stokes with England still 73 runs shy of their target, Broad admitted: “Absolutely.

“One ball needing 70 or 80 with one wicket left, of course. At times, when Stokesy hit the ball you don’t have a great view from the changing room and you can’t see where the fielders are.

"You just think: ‘That’s gone straight to the fielder.’ But it just kept going for six. It was absolutely spectacular. I don’t think anyone in this ground will ever forget [it].”

With the series now level and England looking ahead to the fourth Test at Old Trafford – an occasion that is likely to be equally raucous after the events of Sunday afternoon, Broad confessed that his team must improve after a poor display that, in truth, was saved by one man.

“67 all out in inexcusable,” he said. “We didn’t show any adjustability. We didn’t try and put any momentum back in our favour. We didn’t communicate very well. It was just a really poor 27 overs.

“We could have bowled Australia out for 150 again. We created chances. It has been a sloppy game for us but one bloke’s heroics have kept us in the Ashes series. Now, every single other player has to step up 10 percent and I fully believe we will do that.

“For us to be in this Ashes series at 1-1 with two to play didn’t look possible two hours ago. Now I’m fully backing us to go and win it.”

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