Stuart Broad struggles to make his case for an England recall

Stuart Broad fired some blanks in his shoot-out with Tim Bresnan for a place in England’s side for next week’s first Test against India while James Hildreth and Craig Kieswetter shared a record fifth wicket stand.

Broad, who was dropped by England for last Saturday’s one day decider against Sri Lanka, was sent back to county cricket to regain form after a lean spell at international level.

With national selector Geoff Miller looking on Broad had mixed fortunes on a Trent Bridge greentop.

He struck with his seventh ball when Arul Suppiah edged to second slip but Broad had to to wait until his last over of the day for his next wicket when Hildreth fended a leg-side catch to Chris Read.

There was a minor injury scare when Broad , who started the match with a bruised left heel, left the field to have his right ankle an ankle strapped.

He had summoned groundstaff to repair the footholds at the Radcliffe Road End during the lunch interval and switched ends after the interval.

“I thought that his first spell with the new ball was excellent and he bowled pretty well throughout the day, perhaps not so well at the end but we were trying to mix it up and come up with some funky plans to get a wicket after a 250 stand,” said Nottinghamshire director of cricket Mick Newell.

Those funky plans included Broad going round the wicket to change the angle of attack which finally broke a fifth wicket stand of 290, Somerset’s highest for any wicket against Nottinghamshire.

But not before Hildreth and Kieswetter had rescued Somerset from a perilous 48 for four on a pitch that was so green it was difficult to distinguish it from the rest of the square until the wickets were pitched.

It was tough going early on, particularly against Andre Adams who got bounce and movement from the green pitch.

Once Hildreth and Kieswetter were established Nottinghamshire could not dislodge them. Several edges fell short of the slips, but none went to hand and the played with increasing authority.

Kieswetter accelerated from an 83 ball 50 to his century in just 61 balls then pulled Broad for six on his way to an unbeaten 151.

Hildreth was less fluent in completing his first century of the season but his late dismissal will have lifted Broad’s spirits as he battles for his Test place.

“Stuart has perhaps suffered in comparison to [James] Anderson and [Chris] Tremlett throughout the Sri Lanka series and for the first time in his England career his place is under a little bit more threat than normal,” Newell said.

Broad's day

Mixed fortunes for the England paceman, who took two for 75 in 23 overs. He struck with his seventh ball but had to bowl another 21 overs before he claimed his other wicket. He also left the field for seven overs in mid-afternoon to have an existing ankle injury re-strapped.

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