Broad not intimidated by Siddle

England v Australia, 2nd npower Test, Lord's

Stuart Broad has sought to douse the flames of his physical confrontation with Peter Siddle during the fractious final session of the first Ashes Test, but admitted the unrelenting intensity of Ashes combat was unlike anything he had previously experienced in his fledgling international career.

Broad and Siddle twice bumped shoulders at the conclusion of the 64th over of England's second innings at a time when Australia were in desperate pursuit of an innings victory; one of several heated confrontations between players on Sunday.

"He was obviously up for the challenge," Broad told Cricinfo. "I was trying to block as many balls as I could and I just managed to edge one for four which is frustrating for any bowler. I was looking to third man and he was looking to third man and we just brushed shoulders. That's all that was in it really. Every time you step onto a cricket field, especially in such a big series like the Ashes, you expect it to have a bit of needle. It was thoroughly exciting out there. There were two teams desperate to get the result they wanted and that's what you play the game for. It was a great thrill."

Asked whether he had experienced intensity to rival the final day of the Cardiff Test, Broad was unequivocal. "Never," he said. "I wasn't nervous or concerned when I was out there because you're just concentrating on every ball and focussing. But once I was out and there was nothing I could do any more the nerves really got to me. The last hour was the most painful hour I've ever been through. It was hard work and emotionally very tiring."

Broad was largely underwhelming in Cardiff, returning figures of 1 for 129 from 32 overs and compiling modest totals of 19 and 14 from No. 8. His lack of impact with the new ball was particularly concerning for Andrew Strauss, and the emerging all-rounder may well have faced demotion ahead of the Lord's Test if not for Andrew Flintoff's injury scare and the unwillingness of selectors to make wholesale changes in the middle of important series.

If, as is now expected, he retains his place in the England XI for the second Test, Broad will be hoping for a pitch livelier than that which yielded just six Australian wickets in as many sessions in Cardiff. "Hoping and praying - it was a bowlers graveyard really," he said of the Sophia Gardens surface. "You hope to see not too many wickets like that around the world, but hopefully Lord's will give us a bit more assistance and the bowlers can use their skills and get the ball swinging and take more wickets than we took in Cardiff.

"It was a little bit too slow for the seam bowlers to have too much effect. People want to see slip catches and a bit of excitement in the wicket. Hopefully they'll be a little bit quicker throughout the series. I think every bowler would be on my side with that."

Broad's returns on his Ashes debut may not have flattered, but his willingness to take the fight to the Australians will undoubtedly have impressed his captain. Pitted against an opponent renowned for intimidation, Broad bowled with aggression, if not variation, to the Australian top-order and showed no fear when facing up to a snarling Siddle in the second innings.

"We were obviously delighted as a team to have got that result yesterday because it shows the fight and character we've got in the side," he said. "Paul Collingwood was absolutely fantastic - his patience and determination not to get out. We can take that into Lord's, that momentum we gained and hopefully we can put in a strong performance."