Headingley rivalry fails to take Root
JOE and Billy Root failed to put a dent in their brotherly love on the first day of the County Championship season as neither took their chance to do damage at Headingley.
Younger sibling Billy scored a patient 43 to help Glamorgan recover from 29-3 to reach 310-8 against Yorkshire.
And, with at least three other sets of brothers potentially squaring off against each other this year in the shape of the Overtons (Craig and Jamie), the Parkinsons (Matt and Callum) and the Currans (Tom, Sam and Ben), there should be more rivalry to come.
When Joe had the chance to get the upper hand on his brother by running him out in this first clash, the England skipper could not quite find it in him to take it.
Pushing the ball into the covers, Billy set off for a tight single but, with the non-striker’s end at his mercy, Joe’s throw sailed wide.
Kiran Carlson got the scoreboard moving at a livelier rate before he fell for 55, sparking a middle-order collapse rounded off when Root was caught behind, one-handed, by keeper Jonathan Tattersall off seamer Ben Coad.
It meant that any re-enactment of the Root garden games of cricket was delayed, with Joe sending down his off-spin to Dan Douthwaite and Timm van der Gugten during their eighth-wicket partnership of 122 that turned the day Glamorgan’s way.
The duo dealt with the England spin attack of Dom Bess and Root with ease until Coad returned to clean up Douthwaite for 57.
Van der Gugten carried on swinging to great effect to end the day 80 not out.