STUART Broad could hardly be in better form going into what is, for him, an eagerly-awaited Test match on home turf.

The England paceman took an innings career-best 8-52 for Notts last week to propel his county to a fifth win of the season against Warwickshire at Edgbaston.

Next in his sights are Pakistan, who come to Trent Bridge for the first Test, which starts today, having just drawn a 'home' series 1-1 with Australia.

Broad has already enjoyed considerable success in front of his own fans for the national side, having taken 4-85 against New Zealand in a 2008 innings victory.

He has also claimed 5-23 in a one-day international in the city against South Africa in that same year, as well as 2-57 against Australia last summer and 2-43 against Bangladesh earlier this month.

Now the 24-year-old is hoping to be firing on all cylinders again over the next five days to help Andrew Strauss' side off to a winning start.

"It is always nice to put a good performance in when I am available for Notts and aid the team in getting back to winning ways in the County Championship format," said Broad.

"To get 11 wickets in all and eight in the second innings against Warwickshire last week was personally a great confidence booster.

"But it was very much about building pressure from both ends, with the wickets happening to come at mine. It was not as if every ball I bowled was a jaffer. I just hit a good length and made the batsmen play.

"It helped to get back bowling with the red ball, which I have not done for a while.

"In T20 you concentrate on mixing it up, but the longer forms of the game are all about trying to put the ball in the same areas.

"It went well and now the hope is that I can produce something similar against Pakistan."

With Salman Butt's side having tackled Australia in England because of the political situation back home, Broad has followed their progress on television.

He is impressed by what he has seen and expects a hard-fought series – England's last in Tests before they travel to Australia in a bid to retain the Ashes.

Broad said: "Pakistan played some very good cricket against Australia to come back from one down to level the series.

"They are a very dangerous side and it is up to us to focus on carrying through the momentum we have built up in the last 18 months.

"I know Mohammad Asif from my days at Leicester and he is a massively talented bowler.

"But they are bowling well together and they have had good preparation, having been here a while and having bowled with the Dukes ball.

"We know how important this series is going into the winter, so we're determined to do well."

Nottingham-born Broad is a bowler renowned for taking wickets in clutches amid fiery spells.

But he admits he is still striving to find a continuously high level and wants to be recognised as one of the best bowlers in the world.

"You are always looking to improve and looking at how you can do that," said Broad.

"I aim to be more consistent, which I have managed to be in one-dayers, but not quite so much at Test level.

"It's certainly an aim of all the players to get themselves up the individual rankings. I'm at number five in the one-day stuff and I'd like to be there for Test ratings as well.

"But the only way to do that is to take wickets regularly."

Broad saw Notts win through to finals day of T20 – at the Rose Bowl on August 14 – with their victory over Sussex on Monday night.

He was not made available by the ECB for that game, but hopes they will allow him to participate at the last four stage, which is between the second and third Pakistan Tests.

Broad said: "Notts did brilliantly to get through because at the halfway stage they were up against it.

"I don't know if I'm going to be able to play at the finals day, but of course I would love to be out there, given the opportunity."