Sir Ian Botham leads tributes as Stuart Broad bows out on high in England win

England great Sir Ian Botham led the tributes to Stuart Broad after the 37-year-old bowed out of Test cricket on a high at The Oval. Broad hit a six with his final stroke of the bat before summoning a superb bowling performance to lead England to a dramatic fifth Test win over Australia – taking his second and final wicket with his last ball. Botham, like Broad, regarded as one of the sport’s great all-rounders, wrote on Twitter: ‘Stuart Broad…a magnificent career…a great man and a wonderful person.. you did it – it was written in the stars.’ Pakistan captain Babar Azam also paid a fulsome tribute to Broad, writing on social media: ‘Happy retirement, Broad! ‘You have truly honoured our game with sheer passion… 600+ test wickets is quite an achievement and cricket will always remember your services.’ Azeem Rafiq hailed Broad’s career, insisting that ‘no words can do him justice’, while former England captain Eoin Morgan described the series – which England fought back to draw 2-2 – as ‘epic’. Tributes for Broad also came in from the world of football, with his beloved Nottingham Forest writing: ‘Memorable moment, memorable career. Congratulations, Stuart Broad.’ While new Real Madrid star Jude Bellingham added: ‘What a series, joy to watch!’