Despite green

The Grade Cricketer: Former England pacer Stuart Broad has delivered a scathing assessment of Australia’s current Test top order, labelling it the “most muddled” he has ever seen.

The veteran of 40 Ashes Tests, who grew up watching Australia’s golden era of Matthew Hayden, Justin Langer and Ricky Ponting dominate the world, and bowled extensively to solid trios such as David Warner, Chris Rogers and Shane Watson, and later Warner, Usman Khawaja and Marnus Labuschagne at their peaks, said the contrast in quality and clarity is now stark.

“I’m not out of place in thinking it’s the most muddled top three in my lifetime. I’ve grown up with Hayden, Langer and Ponting,” Broad said on The Grade Cricketer podcast while analysing Australia’s top-three struggles during their current tour of the West Indies.