Stuart Broad still in awe of Trent Bridge

The paceman, and his England team-mates, returned to solitary training recently, with Broad using his home ground to get back into action.

“There’s something about the place,” he told the Daily Mail. “Even if there’s no one else in the ground it has an aura.

“There are only a few grounds in the world that are similar: Cape Town, Lord’s, Sydney, the Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai. They all have a presence.

“I was only bowling at an empty net, and yet, when I left on both Thursday and Friday there was a real ‘wow’ feeling. It felt really good to be back out in the middle again.

“It was the first time I’d bowled properly since we returned from the tour of Sri Lanka. To be fair, although I’ve only bowled 12 overs so far, the action feels pretty solid.”

Broad was joined by Nottinghamshire’s physio James Pipe, with the duo following protocols to enhance their safety during the coronavirus pandemic.

It is a situation that has taken the seamer to parts of the venue he has never visited before.

“I drove into the car park at the Trent Bridge Inn, found my own parking space with no cars parked within two spaces of me, and when I got out I was signposted all the way to the field of play,” he said.

“Individual stumps are assigned to me to minimise contact. Over the next couple of weeks, it will be about building up the loads.

“Whatever you do in the gym, you need six-over spells at full intensity to get the kind of fitness required for a Test.”