sport news STUART BROAD: England's positive group mentality is why they're riding high on ... trends now
My daughter Annabella was a month old yesterday and being a dad for the first time is indescribable. I certainly haven’t got a word for the feeling that I experienced for the first 20 minutes after she was born. It was just complete contentment.
Of course, I opted out of the tour of Pakistan to be at home with Mollie and our new arrival, in the knowledge I would have regretted not being around for this incredibly special period.
When you haven’t got children and you hear some people say becoming a parent is the best time of your life, you’re a bit like: ‘Right. OK. Not that five-for at Trent Bridge, then?’
England's positive group mentality is why they've performed so well over the past 12 months
Ben Stokes England side eased into control with a 281-run lead over Pakistan on Saturday
I wouldn’t be out of this newborn bubble for anything. Available at all times to change a nappy. Trying to nick a few hours sleep, or even just a few minutes, whenever I can. Creeping around the house petrified even the noise of a boiling kettle might wake this 3.5kg bundle of joy.
Numerous team-mates over the years have flown home from cricket matches abroad after a birth, so I feel very lucky to be in this position.
England coach Brendon McCullum is the one I have to thank for granting it and I feel lucky I’m 36 and not 23 because at the start of an international career — when you’re scraping for every inch of recognition you get — you probably can’t even raise paternity leave as an option.
Fatherhood has meant getting up at 3am daily and it’s coincided with the very enjoyable experience of watching England from afar.
Jack Leach (right) took his 100th Test wicket during the second test in Multan vs Pakistan
England ruly feel like they can win from any position and that has shown out in Pakistan
I can’t think of another international team whose style of play would have allowed them to force a result at Rawalpindi in the first Test — the way four batters set things up with rapid hundreds, providing the time at the back end of the game to take those last 10 wickets was amazing.
And they have raised the bar. Yes, this is the same group of players more or less that won six out of seven Test matches in the summer. But they have gone into completely foreign conditions, and arguably made Pakistan look like the away team.
The challenge was always going to be to go overseas and replicate what we did on home soil in 2022.
The message in the changing room will have been to attack more, be more aggressive, and take the game
