Root praises Jos, Chris for show

Manchester, Aug. 9: England captain Joe Root doffed his hat to Jos Buttler after his beleaguered teammate battled concerns over his father’s health and fear of losing his place in the side to engineer a dramatic triumph in the first Test against Pakistan here.

After his vital 75-run knock in a partnership of 139 with Chris Woakes that rescued England from 117 for five to register a threewicket victory, Buttler avoided any discussion on his father Johnny, who had spent the previous evening in hospital.

“It says a huge amount about him as a person to carry that and be able to either use it, or park it only he will know which way he did that and to play in that manner was exceptional. To have that external pressure as well, I’m chuffed to bits with him,” Root said.

It was a welcome knock for Buttler who had been struggling with the bat.

Root was also full of praise for Woakes.

“You watch him play and know he’s more than capable of three or four more Test hundreds. His game is there. He’s got all the attributes, he was clear how he wanted to play Yasir Shah and managed the seamers.

STOKES SET TO MISS REST OF THE SERIES

England star Ben Stokes will miss the concluding two Tests against Pakistan for family reasons, the England and Wales Cricket Board announced Sunday.

Stokes’s father Ged was admitted to hospital in Johannesburg two days before Christmas last year with a serious illness while following his son's progress with the England cricket team during their tour of South Africa.

Ged, a former Kiwi rugby league international, underwent three operations and spent 37 days in hospital. — Agencies