Joe in sick bed as Aussies celebrate
JOE Root was fast asleep in the dressing room when the replica Waterford crystal Ashes urn was raised in triumph by Steve Smith.
Root’s body was drained of energy by a sleepless night, an hour’s batting, and vomiting and diarrhoea so severe that he made an early-morning dash to hospital.
If you’re searching for an image that sums up this tour, look no further than the England captain comatose and oblivious as the Aussies celebrate and spray champagne.
This was the Ashes campaign that never woke up. The sick dog of England was no match for the rampaging, confident Australian machine.
England were outplayed and out-thought. Their planning, preparation and selection was inferior and Australia thoroughly deserved their 4-0 success.
The fact that England held encouraging positions in each of the five Tests actually makes it worse. Root’s team possessed neither the nous nor ability to nail down their advantage even once. Australia won all the big moments, the match-defining sessions, and that makes England not only substandard with their skill but also mentally weak.
Root held a first birthday party for his son Alfie on Sunday evening so maybe he picked up the gastro bug then.
He went to hospital at dawn yesterday with team doctor Mark Wotherspoon and arrived at the ground shortly before play, still wearing a hospital wristband.
Root walked out to bat when Moeen Ali was dismissed after an hour and played comfortably enough, moving from 42 not out to his fifth half-century of the series.
But he worsened during lunch and did not resume his innings after the interval. He went to sleep on the physio’s bed.
Root was incapable even of rousing himself for the postmatch presentation and was driven back to the team before he had a chance to shake the Aussie players’ hands.
At least Root missed the crowing symbolism at the presentation of a giant hand painted in the colours of the Australian flag with four fingers sticking up. There was a hand in St George colours raising no digits.
In Root’s absence, vice-captain James Anderson was given the job of vocalising the obituary of this series.
Anderson said: “We’ve known for a few weeks that Australia are going to lift the urn but I guess seeing them do it in person is tough to watch.
“We’ve not played well enough and they deserve to win. I do think it’s been closer than 4-0. We’ve been on top in games, if not all the games, at some stage. We’ve just not capitalised.
“Joe’s not had any sleep, he’s not eaten, he’s had diarrhoea and he’s been vomiting. So I guess he’s not in a great state. The heat of the last couple of days hasn’t helped.
“To get to the ground was a great effort and to strap on his pads and bat for as long as he did was brilliant and showed exactly what sort of character he is.
“He wants to lead by example – he’s been a fantastic captain. I just hope he can sleep it off now and get better before the one-dayers.”
JOE’S NOT HAD ANY SLEEP, HE’S NOT EATEN, HE’S HAD DIARRHOEA AND HE’S BEEN VOMITING. SO I GUESS HE’S NOT IN A GREAT STATE. THE HEAT OF THE LAST COUPLE OF DAYS HASN’T HELPED
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