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'I thought it was pretty unlucky. There were plenty of top-edges, and a couple of good shots.'
Veteran England pacer James Anderson backed Stuart Broad, who was on the receiving end of an unwanted record on Day 2 of the rescheduled fifth Test against India at Edgbaston on Saturday.
Coming in to bat at No.10 Jasprit Bumrah made light of a bowler of Stuart Broad's calibre hitting him for four boundaries and two sixes in an over, while six runs came of extras, in India’s first innings.
In the 84th over of the match, captain Bumrah started off by hitting a boundary, hooking him into the gap for four. Next, Broad bowled a wayward delivery to concede five wides. Surprisingly, his next delivery was a no-ball which went for a six.
After that Bumrah wreaked havoc, hitting the pacer for three consecutive boundaries and in the process taking India's total beyond the 400-run mark.
Off the second last ball of the over Bumrah hit another six, followed by a single off the last ball.
Broad was spanked for 29 runs, and six runs in the form of extras made it 35 runs off the over.
Anderson, who took his 30th fifer in Test cricket, revealed that Broad's over wouldn't have been under discussion if one of Bumrah's shots landed into a fielder's hands.
"Yeah, it is just one of those things. On another day one of those top-edges goes straight to hand. If that gets taken nobody talks about the over," said Anderson at the post-match press conference.
"I thought it was pretty unlucky. There were plenty of top-edges, and a couple of good shots, but that's the plan Ben (Stokes) wanted Broady to go with. Broady stuck to it and on another day when the luck was with Stuart an edge probably would have gone to hand," he added.
England's all-time leading wicket-taker also revealed that bowling to tailenders is difficult, recalling how Mohammed Siraj attempted to hit him for a maximum.
"Sometimes it can be easier to bowl at top-order bats, to be honest. I do remember a few balls to Siraj: he tried to hit two out of the ground and the next one played a perfect forward defence. It can be tricky to get into a rhythm against them. You've just got to try and back yourself that your best ball will get them out eventually."
England, replying to India's first-innings total of 416, were reeling on 84 for 5 at stumps on Day 2, 332 runs behind and needing 133 to avoid the follow-on.
Jonny Bairstow was batting on 12 while skipper Ben Stokes yet to open his account.