ROOT’S QUICK TO PASS FIRST PROPER TEST
AFTER Lord’s, I felt we hadn’t found out much about Joe Root as a captain, mainly because the pitch always had something in it for the bowlers.
But we found out a few things on the first day in Nottingham — and Root came through with flying colours.
For me, a big moment came when England were trying to separate South Africa’s Hashim Amla and Quinton de Kock — one all-time great and another potential great.
Root’s two predecessors — Andrew Strauss and Alastair Cook — would have been inclined to sit in and try to dry things up.
Strauss used to work on the basis that a few maidens in a row increased the chances of a wicket, and Cook had a similar approach, believing control of the run-rate was crucial.
Instead, Root went with a far more attacking option in Ben Stokes. Yes, Stokes can go for runs, as he did at times on the first day here. And, after he struggled for rhythm before lunch, the temptation would have been to ignore him.
But Stokes immediately created a few chances. He had Amla dropped low down by Cook at slip, almost had him caught at fine leg as he miscued a pull, and had De Kock flaying a couple through gully at catchable height.
It told me Root is not going to be a defensively inclined captain.
I also liked the fact that, after lunch, both Jimmy Anderson and Stuart Broad bowled a slightly fuller length than they did in the morning.
It might have looked as if England had control before lunch but those two both bowled a fraction short — and looked less threatening as a result.
As Strauss and Cook could both tell you, one of the most challenging aspects of captaining this England team is to persuade two brilliant, though occasionally stubborn, new-ball bowlers to adjust their lengths to suit the conditions. Then, after tea, Broad was moved to the Radcliffe Road End for the first time in the day, given a seven-two offside field, and immediately had De Kock caught at slip, flashing outside off.
The one thing England are in danger of getting into a tangle about is this business of who their firstchoice spinner is. The fact is Moeen Ali has just taken 10 wickets in a Test for the first time and should be full of confidence.
I understand the captain and the management are playing these mind games by insisting that Liam Dawson is England’s No 1 spinner, because they want to alleviate the pressure on Moeen.
But to bring on Dawson before him, and to delay Moeen until the 45th over, made little sense — especially with the left-handed De Kock at the crease.
Root will have to get to grips with that dynamic, and he may also need to reflect a little on his use of the DRS after both reviews were wasted by the first over after lunch.
The first one, especially, was a good lesson, because it came after Stokes had struggled a bit.
He is an emotional lad and when he hit Amla on the pad he seemed to convince himself that it was out.
That was the moment for Root to have a quiet word with his vicecaptain and say, “Look, he’s either hit it or it’s outside the line — but it’s not out!”
These things are all part of the learning curve, and you do not become a world- class captain overnight.
Still, overall, what we saw here from Root was certainly highly encouraging.