Broad bends his back but wickets remain elusive for England's faulty fast man

England have a Test series to put to bed – or maybe to consign to a watery grave – before they can afford to let their thoughts wander. But for Stuart Broad, half a dozen limited-overs matches against Sri Lanka probably cannot come quickly enough.

It has been painful to watch the third member of Andrew Strauss's pace attack in action at the Rose Bowl. While Chris Tremlett had a ball on what was his home ground and Jimmy Anderson searched with reasonable success for rhythm and swing after missing a match through injury, Broad looked like a man who is close to running on empty when it comes to confidence.

Like Tremlett, Broad set about trying to rough up the Sri Lankans. But, as was the case in Cardiff and at Lord's during the first two Tests of this series, back-bending effort and honest endeavour were let down by an alarming lack of accuracy. The only thing consistent about him here has been his inconsistency.

Broad knows, of course, that people are starting to talk out loud about his right to a place in the England Test team – though not camp insiders, it must be said. "Stuart has been dreadfully unlucky and I think it is only a matter of time before he turns it around," bowling coach David Saker insisted last night.

"He's gone past the bat a lot in this series and I'm really happy with the way he is going."

The fact remains, though, that the statistics are starting to stack up against him. Since taking five Australian wickets during a golden spell of Ashes bowling at The Oval in 2009, Broad has dealt almost solely in dribs and drabs. Indeed, he has struck more than twice in a Test innings just three times (out of 28 attempts) in the last 18 months.

Injuries have not helped Broad. A side problem cut short his tour Down Under last winter and then a broken rib brought him home early from the World Cup. But perhaps the selectors did no one any favours, either, with their instant call- up at the start of this summer when a longer spell in county cricket might have left the 24-year-old in better fettle.

Does it really matter, though, if Broad falls by the wayside once England embark on their top-of-the-Test-table clash with India in a few weeks? After all, the fast bowling larder has seldom contained so many goodies with the likes of Tim Bresnan, Graham Onions, Ajmal Shahzad and Jade Dernbach all bursting to have a crack.

Well, actually, it probably does because Broad has the potential to be an all-rounder of rare quality – and players like that do not grow on trees. Right now, though, he needs some wickets to lift his spirits. And any old wickets, Twenty20 or 50-over, will do to be getting on with.