With his blond hair and baby-faced good looks, Stuart Broad was already looking like becoming the Next Big Thing of English cricket when he pushed his career into overdrive in a sensational spell of bowling in the fifth and decisive Ashes Test at The Oval in 2009. With the series in the balance, Broad claimed figures of 5 for 37 in 12 overs, including 4 for 8 in 21 balls, and after that there was no coming back for Australia.

After a steady rise towards being one of England's key bowlers the 2010-11 winter, which should have been a major moment in his career, was a disappointment as injury struck for the first time. He was ruled out of the last three Ashes Tests then broke down again during the World Cup. However, his significance in England's future was confirmed when he was named Twenty20 captain in May 2011.

That, though, coincided with a slump in form that almost cost him his Test place for the series against India. He survived the cut - just - and responded with a Man-of-the-Series display, including a hat-trick at Trent Bridge, in what was viewed as a career-defining period.

In his early cricketing career, Broad had been shaping up to be an opening bat just like his dad Chris, until he suddenly shot up. Within 18 months he had transformed himself into a medium-fast bowler and was playing for England Under-19 and Leicestershire's first XI. A few months later and he's gone from England's A team to a call-up to the full one-day side. Talk about a meteoric rise.

But those early years as a batsman did not go amiss. After his first eight Tests, he had racked up three half-centuries from the pivotal No. 8 position, and push his Test average above 40 - a mark his father (39.54) just missed out on over the course of his 25-match career.

His stock continued to rise on tour with England in Sri Lanka when his 11 cheap wickets helped them to a 3-2 one-day series victory. He was then called up for the subsequent Test series in December, making his debut on a slab of Colombo concrete and toiling for 36 sweaty overs.

The subsequent tour of New Zealand proved to be his real chance, however. With Matthew Hoggard and Steve Harmison both lacking form, he was selected for the Wellington Test. The decision was immediately vindicated, if not with a huge match-haul then certainly by the composure and control he showed.

The following Test in Napier, however, demonstrated his immense allround talent. A vital 42 helped prop up England's first innings before he took 3 for 54, testing all New Zealand's batsmen with pace and bounce. That impression continued to climb during England's home season in 2008 when no less a technical purist as Geoffrey Boycott likened his tall elegant batting style to Sir Garfield Sobers.

Although he has struggled at times for consistency with his bowling, his unmistakable talent was out on show again against South Africa in Durban in 2009 as helped bowl England to a famous innings victory. It took him a while to revive that form, but when he did he looked a world-class performer.

Jenny Thompson August 2011