England’s Broad praises ‘whoever put the game on’ after tributes to the Queen

At the end of an extraordinary day on which 17 wickets fell, Stuart Broad singled out for praise not a player but “whoever decided to put the game on”. Friday’s second day had been cancelled after the death of Queen Elizabeth II but instead of abandoning the Test the England and Wales Cricket Board opted to precede its resumption with a short but memorable tribute that was largely conducted in complete silence, culminating in the singing of the national anthem.

Without any instruction, those present rose and stood silent even before the players had left their dressing rooms, creating an eerie and extraordinary atmosphere that ended only after God Save the King had been sung, and with the ninth ball of the match Ollie Robinson ripped out the off stump of the South Africa captain, Dean Elgar.

“It was incredible actually. It was amazing to be a part of,” said Broad. “To walk down those stairs, every single player commented on how special it was – you could hear a pin drop. The respect shown by everyone in the stadium was incredible. I feel really glad with whoever decided to put the game on. It felt like a celebration of the Queen’s life today.”

As a result of a decision taken at the toss 48 hours earlier England got the opportunity to bowl in ideal conditions and took full advantage. South Africa were dismissed for 118 in 36.2 overs, their shortest innings on English soil, with Robinson claiming his third five-wicket haul in Tests – before saying he spent the entire time feeling distinctly out of sorts.

“I actually didn’t feel that great,” he said. “My run-up was all over the place. I couldn’t find a rhythm, I was just trying to focus on smashing a length, really. It was not the best I’ve felt. But the wicket had been