Chris Broad (cricketer) facts for kids

Quick facts for kids
Chris Broad

Personal information
Full name	Brian Christopher Broad
Born	(1957-09-29) 29 September 1957 (age 67) Knowle, Bristol, England
Nickname	Walter, Broodie, B-Road
Height	6 ft 4 in (1.93 m)
Batting	Left-handed
Bowling	Right arm medium
Role	Opening batsman
Relations	Stuart Broad (son)
International information
National side	England
Test debut (cap 506)	28 June 1984 v West Indies
Last Test	17 June 1989 v Australia
ODI debut (cap 90)	1 January 1987 v Australia
Last ODI	24 May 1988 v West Indies
Domestic team information
Years	Team
1979–1983	Gloucestershire
1984–1992	Nottinghamshire
1985/86	Orange Free State
1993–1994	Gloucestershire
Career statistics
Competition Test ODI FC LA Matches 25 34 340 319 Runs scored 1,661 1,361 21,892 10,396 Batting average 39.54 40.02 38.07 34.76 100s/50s 6/6 1/11 50/105 11/68 Top score 162 106 227* 122 Balls bowled 6 6 1631 1027 Wickets 0 0 16 25 Bowling average – – 64.81 36.80 5 wickets in innings – – 0 0 10 wickets in match – – 0 0 Best bowling – – 2/14 3/46 Catches/stumpings 10/– 10/– 189/– 82/–
Medal record Men's Cricket Representing  England ICC Cricket World Cup Runner-up 1987 India and Pakistan
Source: CricketArchive, 24 December 2007

Brian Christopher Broad (born 29 September 1957) is a well-known English cricket official, broadcaster, and former player. He was an important part of the England team that reached the finals of the 1987 Cricket World Cup.

As an opening batsman, Chris Broad played 26 Test matches for England. He scored six centuries, which are 100 runs or more in a single innings. He also played 34 One Day International (ODI) matches, where he had a good average of over 40 runs. He is especially remembered for his amazing performance in the 1986/87 Ashes series. In this series, he scored three centuries in a row during different Test matches.

Chris Broad's children are also involved in cricket. His son, Stuart Broad, is a famous fast bowler who has played for both England and Nottinghamshire. His daughter, Gemma, worked as a performance analyst for England's One-Day team.

Chris Broad's Early Life and Cricket Journey

Chris Broad was born on 29 September 1957, in Knowle, Bristol, England. When he was 15, he faced a health challenge called osteomyelitis, which is a bone infection. This made it harder for him to develop his cricket skills early on.

He started his professional cricket career, known as first-class cricket, for Gloucestershire in 1979. The next year, he became a regular player for the team. In 1984, he moved to play for Nottinghamshire. He also played for Orange Free State in South Africa during the 1985–86 season. Chris Broad returned to Gloucestershire in 1993 and retired from playing cricket at the end of the 1994 season because of a hip injury. He studied at St Paul's College, Cheltenham.

Playing for England: Chris Broad's International Career

Chris Broad made his Test debut for England in 1984. This was in the second Test match against the West Indies at Lord's, a famous cricket ground. He opened the batting with Graeme Fowler and scored 55 runs. Together, they made a partnership of 101 runs. Even though Fowler scored 106 runs, England was bowled out for 286. The West Indies then scored 245. In England's second turn to bat, Broad was out for a duck (meaning he scored zero runs). The West Indies won the match.

Broad continued to open the batting in the next Test matches against the West Indies. He played one Test match against Sri Lanka, where he scored his highest score at that time, 86 runs.

He then played in the 1986 Ashes series against Australia. In the second Test at Perth, he scored an impressive 162 runs. He then scored 116 runs at Adelaide and 112 runs at Melbourne. He finished this Ashes tour with 487 runs and three centuries. Scoring centuries in three consecutive matches is a rare achievement in cricket.

Chris Broad also made his One Day International (ODI) debut in 1986 against Australia in Perth. He scored 76 runs in that match, and England won.

He played his last match for England in 1989. In total, he played 25 Test matches, with his highest score being 162 runs and an average of 39.54 runs per innings. Interestingly, all of his centuries were scored outside of England – four in Australia, one in New Zealand, and one in Pakistan.

Chris Broad as a Cricket Official

After retiring as a player, Chris Broad became a cricket official. In 2003, the International Cricket Council (ICC) appointed him as a match referee for Test matches and One Day Internationals. A match referee makes sure the game is played fairly and according to the rules. His first assignment was during the 2003–04 series between New Zealand and Pakistan.

In 2009, Chris Broad was the match referee for a Test series between Pakistan and Sri Lanka. During the second Test in Lahore, the convoy of vehicles he was in was attacked by terrorists. During this dangerous event, he reportedly helped protect an injured umpire. He and umpire Simon Taufel later spoke about the need for better security for players and officials. Six Pakistani policemen and two civilians were sadly killed in the attack, and six Sri Lankan cricketers were injured.

In 2023, Chris Broad shared a fun post on social media about his son Stuart dismissing David Warner in Test cricket. He was later asked by the ICC to remove the post.

The Broad Appeal Charity

Chris Broad's second wife, Miche, was diagnosed with motor neurone disease (MND) in 2009. This is a serious illness that affects the brain and nerves. Sadly, she passed away the following year. To honor her and help others, Chris, along with his children Stuart and Gemma, started a charity called "The Broad Appeal" in February 2011. The charity works to raise awareness about MND and collect money to help find a cure and support those affected by the disease.

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  Chris Broad