Broad gets his priorities straight

For the second year running Stuart Broad has shown where his priorities lie after shunning the potential riches of the IPL to concentrate on his England career. And his next challenge certainly requires plenty of focus, taking on South Africa on their own soil over four Tests.

Broad's last outing in whites shot him to superstar status as he produced the spell that virtually secured the Ashes with 5 for 37 at The Oval. His performance on that memorable day in South London has given rise to huge expectations of Broad and that is something he will have to confront over the next five weeks.

"We've had a good tour so far. It's been a little hampered by weather in the last few weeks but we won our last Test series against Australia and the confidence is high," he said. "It's just up to us to make sure we hit them hard in the first Test and we are trying to make sure we do that."

However, Broad appears to be one of the England players suffering most from the truncated nature of the tour so far with so much inclement weather around. During their two two-day matches in East London Broad was below his best as he returned figures of none for 55 and 1 for 57, but he is eager to build on his Ashes experience and his increasingly senior role in the bowling unit. With the retirement of Andrew Flintoff and absence of Steve Harmison, Broad is England's second most experienced operator behind James Anderson.

"Responsibility is something I thrive on as a player," he said. "Certainly in the one-dayers, Jimmy and I have been opening the bowling together and have developed extra responsibility in that format. In Test matches it's up a few players to stand up and I think it is good for the side that it's not the same players performing all the time."

Broad is a level-headed character - as shown by his IPL decision - but hasn't quite convinced that he knows what type of bowler to be at the top level. His spell at The Oval gave a good indication as he pitched the ball up and aimed at the stumps, but there is still a tendency to go searching for wickets. Broad could still be pushed into performing an enforcers role with Anderson a natural pitch-up swing bowler along with Graham Onions or Ryan Sidebottom.

Quite who makes up England's final attack is still unclear and it depends on the balance they select. Ian Bell could bat at No. 6, while Luke Wright is also pushing for a Test debut at No. 7 but that may yet be a role filled by Broad. He knows that would make run-scoring a necessity rather than a bonus.

"Definitely, there would be extra responsibility to score bigger runs but I've done it in three or four Tests so far and it's a position I do enjoy and will look to do in the future," he said. "It's a strong position to be in as a side. We have options of going either way. Obviously if we go with six batters it leaves the bowlers with quite a workload but I think we have the bowlers who can cope. It's a great position to be in to be able to make the choice and it's down to the management come Wednesday."

Whichever team takes the field, Broad knows England mustn't sit back and, echoing the comments of selector Ashley Giles, wants the team to take advantage of the home side's lack of recent cricket.

"It's a great opportunity for us," he said. "We have looked at South Africa's strengths and weaknesses and we see it as a great opportunity to start the series hard. It's what we've done in the last couple of Test series is to make sure we start well and that's what we are focussed on."

Broad's final comment is only partly true. When England beat West Indies at Lord's in May it was the first time in 16 series they had won the opening contest and away from home they have lost the first Test on six out of the last seven occasions. The previous occasion they launched an overseas campaign with victory was against South Africa, at Port Elizabeth, in 2004-05. Now would be a good time for history to repeat itself and for that to happen England need Broad to shine.