Root power play to save T20 spot

Joe RooT organised a personal power-hitting session before england practice yesterday in a bid to keep playing all forms of cricket for england.

Root, appointed england’s new Test captain in February, had a oneon-one clinic with Julian Wood, the former Hampshire batsman, who has become a specialist after years of studying baseball techniques.

The move to develop his six-hitting prowess comes less than three weeks after Sportsmail revealed the 26-year- old could be eased out of england’s Twenty20 side due to a combination of a saturated international schedule and a raft of exciting new T20 talents.

Wood, who studied the science of hitting at Major League Baseball team Texas Rangers, was recommended to Root by england batting coach Graham Thorpe.

‘I just want to keep developing my game and make sure that I’m not left standing still,’ said Root, who lines up for england in the Royal London Series opener against South Africa at Headingley this afternoon. ‘This was a good opportunity to try something completely different. I wanted to see if anything he had to offer would fit into how I play.’

Root’s one-day international average of 48.81 is bettered only by Jonathan Trott among current england players. But in Jos Buttler, Ben Stokes, Jason Roy, Alex Hales and Liam Livingstone, england have a posse of six hitters at their disposal, and Root is determined not to be forced into international T20 wilderness by such players.

Meanwhile, Jimmy Anderson faces a battle to be fit for england’s first Test against South Africa after it was confirmed yesterday that he had torn his right groin.

england’s record wicket taker broke down after bowling just 5.3 overs on the first day of the Roses match for Lancashire and a scan revealed he will miss at least the return County Championship match against Yorkshire on June 2.

england do not begin their fourmatch Test series against South Africa until July 6 so Anderson has another six weeks to prove he is fit enough to return.

Yet the wider concerns are whether time is starting to catch up with the 34-year-old. He would hope to carry on playing for england for the foreseeable future, but he will have to prove this summer that his body is capable of doing so.