Ex-England and Notts opener Chris Broad insists he still has some claim to being the best cricketer in the family despite son Stuart's rise to stardom.

Notts fast-bowler Broad junior is now an England regular, taking wickets and scoring runs in all forms of the game.

But Broad senior told BBC East Midlands Today his son is not totally on top.

"He's beating me in most departments but six Test match hundreds and a winning Ashes team mean I have bragging rights in certain areas," Broad joked.

But Broad senior, now an international umpire, is delighted with his son's progress - both as a cricketer and as a person.

Off the field, Stuart is one of the nicest kids you could ever wish to meet Chris Broad

"We are extremely proud of the way he has gone about things," he said. "Not only on the field but off it as well.

"He seems to have that ability to switch on when he crosses over the boundary line and go out and do his stuff on the field and be tough, aggressive and determined.

"And yet off the field, he is one of the nicest kids you could ever wish to meet."

And Broad, who was speaking at the launch of the ECB's Urban Cricket scheme in Sneinton in Nottingham, said Stuart and his England colleagues have a key role to play in helping the next generation of players come through.

"We didn't do enough of it when I played - there wasn't enough going to schools, helping out and encouraging youngsters to play the game.

"Now it is part and parcel of their daily routine and it's vitally important."

And Broad also believes international players will find the experience just as rewarding as the children because of the "enjoyment you get from watching the kids run around and playing cricket".

He added: "You have to have somewhere where the kids can go out and start playing the game and a terrific facility like this is just perfect."

E-mail this to a friend

Printable version