The game was drifting, and for the West Indies, immaculately so. Just a few overs remained till tea on day four, with the score 213-4, and only a draw needed for the visitors to keep hold of the Wisden Trophy. Ben Stokes, the most captivating cricketer in the land, had just bowled 11 overs of a Ben Stokes spell. You know the one: hopeless cause, dead pitch, but, yeah, “I’ll get you a wicket”.

But still, how dare anyone, even Stokes, summon the audacity to try and steal the thunder of Stuart Broad? Forget his 14 wicketless overs beforehand and the looming shadows of the England seamers waiting to take his place for the next Test; with the ball in his hand, Broad was going to try and bring some life to a match dying a slow death.

The rhythm of his next four overs never wavered but hardly gave any sense of what was to come; the old ball was thudded in short, and without the pace of some of his contemporaries, one wondered why. But the cause had purpose, with Broad revealing to Sky after play that “with a bit of short-pitched bowling, you can stop the scoring quite quickly with big square boundaries and windy conditions”.

But taking on the enforcer role has never suited Broad. It doesn’t fit the brand. That brand being one of those spells. And so the fun began with the second new ball, with variable bounce in the surface, the hardness of the dark-rouge Dukes and seam movement making the stumps, not the body, the target. Against Shamarh Brooks – who had batted rather beautifully – the celebrappeal was never not going to come out after the batsman was trapped on the crease. Even without a crowd to feed off, you felt more would come. Chances are that, around you, someone began playing Broad Bingo, because the legs were pumping.

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Jermaine Blackwood was bowled thanks to the lack of bounce, and Shane Dowrich was cooked in similar style to Brooks. Three wickets in the space of three of his overs, and the game breathing once more. Chris Woakes took the final three but it was Broad who cut through. One of those spells.

No bowler cultivates as much drama as Broad, nor leaves as many enduring images, his excellence with the ball and comical showiness making it hard for the spotlight to ever waver. Just think of that incredible Stokes catch at Trent Bridge five years ago. Chances are that what also comes to mind is Broad with his hands over his face, happily stunned. The addition of the headband has added a bit of extra flavour too, hasn’t it?

[caption id=”attachment_166887″ align=”alignnone” width=”800″] Broad in disbelief, Trent Bridge, 2015[/caption]

With Broad, there always comes Anderson, the more prolific force who hypnotises with his movement of the new ball. But Anderson’s reliability almost takes away the fun; with Broad, the wicket-laden magic can often be drummed out of nowhere – kind of. An analytical mind means there’s work being done before the spell reaps rewards.

As Derek Pringle writes in the upcoming issue of Wisden Cricket Monthly: “He’ll take a view on the pitch, wind, amount of swing and seam etc, and back his assessments, unafraid to move away from probing away at the top of off. It is why, more than any other England bowler of the last 20 years, he produces spells that turn the match.” Turn the match is exactly what he did for England when West Indies were 213-4.

The theatricality of Broad’s first-innings spell was heightened by the circumstances of what had come before, with his exclusion from the first Test leading to the Sky interview in which he expressed his anger and frustration, every line a spitting soundbite. “I felt like it was my shirt,” was probably the first-round draft pick, but “I don’t think I’ve got anything to prove. England know what I can do”, felt significant too. Because when you’re closing in on 500 Test wickets, you know that you’re capable of walking the talk.

Broad was back in front of the press on Sunday, after playing his starring role, and out came the pronouncements once more: “Why not try and emulate what Jimmy has done and play to his age?” England may be preparing for life without him, but he ain’t going away too soon.

[breakout id=”0”][/breakout] On Monday he returned, burdened by the tragedy of any lbw decision that didn’t go his way, but emboldened by his previous day’s antics. After taking three of the first four wickets in England’s victory march, Broad moved aside as the rest of the attack finished the job. Sure, Ollie Pope’s grab at short-leg was quite the winning moment, but it felt misplaced. Broad finishing the job would have capped the perfect comeback. For now, however, he can celebrate a match haul of 6-108 and a first-innings spell that has brought England back into the series. Leave him out of the third Test and it’ll be Pakistan who live in fear.