Stuart Broad: Cricket legend's Nottingham glory was 'written in fate'

Stuart Broad is one of the greatest cricketers the East Midlands, England and the world has ever seen.Only four men have taken more test wickets than his 604. His popstar partner Mollie King and daughter Annabella watched his final match earlier this year. His career ended with a winning wicket against Australia in the Ashes. He went out on the highest of highs in London.But the first page of his autobiography mentions a city more special to him, Nottingham.

He told me why: "You know I'm immensely proud to have been born in the city and to end up representing it as long as I did. Trent Bridge has grown into a real home for me, when I was a 3, 4 year old I treated it like the back garden in a sense in playing cricket under the scoreboard and charging around."To have played on that ground for as much as I did and for Nottinghamshire to have decent success and for England you know regaining the Ashes there in 2015 taking eight for 15."And to experience those things with the people of Nottingham was something that was so unique and so special, almost sort of written in fate at the time."

His decision to retire earlier this year means he will never have those moments again, I ask if he has a difficulty accepting that."I think so much in sport is about looking forward, isn't it? You know, quite often looking right what the next fixture is, how do I get better as a player? What am I looking forward to? And you don't get that much time to reflect as to what happened."Now I feel content. I don't have that feeling of needing to chase anything more, to have that feeling of needing the adulation of taking a wicket and you know, I no doubt will miss it at some stage. But right now, I just feel really content with the decision and ready for a new chapter."Such is his success in the game, Nottinghamshire County Cricket Club have renamed the famous Pavilion End at Trent Bridge after him."I feel quite emotional when I think about that after my family's connection with Trent Bridge and looking forward to Annabella growing up, to think that she'll have that connection to Trent Bridge with the family name as well."So yeah I just think that something might be written in the stars and I think about my old mate Jimmy Anderson because I took my 600th Test wicket Old Trafford from the Jimmy Anderson End so I've just got a funny sense that he might take his 700th Test wicket from the Stuart Broad End at Trent Bridge, which would be lovely."Back with the rest of us mortals, Stuart is planning for Annabella's first birthday on Friday. He has the same awkward thoughts as most parents about that particular party which always seems more for the parents than the child.Stuart's dad Chris was a famous player for Notts and England, so will the family tradition carry on with her?"She'll naturally see quite a bit of cricket because ultimately it's her dad's favourite hobby and favourite sport. And you know, I love being a part of the cricketing family and want to stay connected to it."You know, Mollie sings to her quite a lot after her Saturday's time and she's quite happy to sing back to Mollie as well."Her options are vast and Stuart says she will be allowed to do whatever she loves.Despite his own love of cricket, it looks unlikely that he'll be turning out for a local village team anytime soon."I have been asked a few times. Actually, you know, my sort of reply, it's a polite way of saying no."I think I hit my last ever ball for six and I took a wicket with my last ever ball in an England shirt. I'm not sure I can play again can I?"

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