Broad brushes off wicketless streak

The last time Stuart Broad played an ODI before this triangular series fielders were not allowed to move laterally while anticipating a reverse sweep, bowlers were allowed to pause in their delivery stride, Saeed Ajmal and Sunil Narine were still legal bowlers, and Paul Farbrace hadn't yet caused furore by leaving Sri Lanka for a job with England weeks before Sri Lanka travelled to England. And Broad had the new ball.

The world has changed now. Chris Woakes has taken the new-ball duties, and Broad has been the weakest link in England's attack. He has gone at 6.26 an over, and is yet to take a wicket in three matches. He believes, though, that he has been going all right, and it is only a matter of time before the wickets column is populated.

"I had a good time myself working on one-day skills, and actually I feel like I have delivered my plan okay," Broad said when asked if it has been difficult to come back after a long layoff. "I've obviously not taken the wickets that I want to but I feel like I'm actually delivering what's in my mind. The way one-day cricket is now, wickets will come to you in a short time. You've seen a few sliced off to point and a few slower balls get hit straight up. When it's your day, it's your day and you've got to cash in."

Broad conceded, though, that he has been releasing the pressure too often. "Four-and-a-half months is quite a decent layoff," he said. "You grow within each game. Realistically I have bowled one too many bad ball each spell. A cheap four. In one-day cricket you can't afford to do that.

"But also I know as a player I do go through these little periods where I don't pick up wickets in a couple of games, and then I take a handful. Hopefully come semi-final final time at the World Cup and it will be my chance to shine."

Broad said he would love the new ball again, but he is happy with the current challenge. "You do like taking the new ball," he said. "It's the best time to bowl and the best time to get wickets and set the tone. But I'm happy with my role. It is a tough role, bowling first-change. You come on seven-eight overs in, and they are having a dart and the ball is not doing anything. It is quite tough.

"With the balance of the four seamers, using the taller bowlers to try and hit the wicket in that period is a good option. We did it in 2008 when Harmy [Steve Harmison] came out of retirement, and it seemed to work for us. I'm quite happy doing that, just need to find a way to get wickets."

In the time that Broad has been away, Woakes has developed in Sri Lanka and at the start of this trip while Steven Finn his best since before the career crisis he suffered in Australia last year. Broad praised Woakes, but especially pleased for Finn.

"The biggest one I have seen is the change in confidence in Finny," he said. "The way he has been around the group. He is more chirpy. His head's up a lot more. At nets he looks a lot clearer what he is working on. Great to see him get the five-for at Brisbane. Just rewards for how he has been feeling."

Broad does not feel four quicks is one too many, and also believes there is enough variety among them although you would ideally want a left-arm quick in there with their impact on World Cups being significant. Only one squad, West Indies in 1979, did not include a left-armer although Brendon Julian played a limited role for Australia in 1999 and Nathan Bracken did not play a match in 2003 before having a key role four years later.

"One-day cricket you have to dovetail a little bit," Broad said. Not everyone is going to have their day each day. You have to come to the party when you are feeling good that day. All of us are slightly different. As long as we can keep an attacking mindset we will be dangerous. As long as we don't try to protect ourselves, let's keep trying to get a slip in, keep trying to take wickets, that's the only way to go out there.

"Teams have won World Cups without left-armers, [but] you can see even just from T20 stats, left-armers have got records in white-ball cricket. Every team would want one in their team. But I think we have enough variety with different heights, each of us has a slightly different slower ball, that sort of thing. We are just looking forward to putting a complete game together. Our fielding has been awesome. Just need the batting and the bowling to come to the party at the same time."

The last time Broad played before this series also happens to be the time England won two matches in a row in one series. He was aware that back-to-back wins have been rare, but was a little surprised to learn it has not happened since March 2014 in West Indies. How he will be hoping that is another change over this Friday and Sunday.