Ashes 2013: Alastair Cook asked us to spice things up, reveals Stuart Broad

Broad’s devastating spell of six for 20 from 43 deliveries earned him the man-of-the-match award

Australia captain Michael Clarke was critical of his own performance (AFP/Getty images)

However much success an England player might have in his career, there is nothing quite like beating Australia, and after his Ashes-winning spell Stuart Broad spoke of the desire to grind the old enemy into the dirt.

If England win the final Investec Test at The Oval, it will be the first time they have won four matches in a home Ashes series. They lead the series 3-0 after taking a 74-run win at The Riverside, to go with the victories at Trent Bridge and Lord's.

Broad's devastating spell of six for 20 from 43 deliveries earned him the man-of-the-match award and gave him Test-best match figures of 11 for 121.

"We have a determination to win Ashes series," said Broad. "There are a lot of guys who have won three Ashes series from three and that makes us very proud. Kevin Pietersen and Ian Bell have won four from five.

"It was a very special day. Alastair Cook asked us to spice things up with the ball after Australia reached 120 for one at tea. There is a lot of experience in that changing room and we put our heads together and worked out which was the best way forward.

"It was about adrenaline today. Tim Bresnan and I spoke about really putting a squeeze on when Australia's batsmen were on top.

"We were staring down the barrel a bit, but we thrive off Ashes battles, the emotion of them, turning up not and not knowing what will happen. That's why fans are captivated by it. It's amazing to play in and also amazing to watch."

Cook also paid tribute to the level of expertise within a side featuring nine players who helped the team to a 3-1 victory in Australia in 2010-11. Reflecting on his first Ashes series victory as captain, Cook also recognised the importance of Broad's outstanding work.

Cook said: "We've come through tough situations well and learned how not to get beaten when up we're against it. When we get a chance, people stick up their hand take and push games in our favour.

"When you have that experience, I look round dressing room guys who have been there and done it. It gives me a lot of confidence we can dig ourselves out of difficult positions.

"It's hard to find adjectives to describe Stuart's spell. If we'd lost that final session we would've been struggling, Stuart knew it and charged in. When everything clicks, just doing he's incredibly hard to play for a batsman."

Australia captain Michael Clarke offered no excuses for his team's defeat and, when asked whether Australia's faltering batsmen could be replaced, he painted a bleak picture of the state of the game in his country.

He said: "I don't know the answer but the selectors are doing the best they can to pick the best players. You have to go on the field with 11 players; you can't go on the field with two.

"Everyone talks about rebuilding, but players have to make runs in first-class cricket. People aren't scoring as many runs as we would like in the first-class game.

"We need to score more runs. If I'd scored 75 in the second innings, we would have won the game. I made 27 in the match and that is not acceptable."