WIN THIS SERIES 2-0!
England have picked a bold team with exciting players and new names. Now...
Amiserable winter for english cricket has been followed by the start of a summer notable for bonkers ‘blue sky’ thinking over a new format and more buffoonery from the eCb chairman. it really is time for some good news.
england’s inadequacy in seven Tests in australia and New Zealand coupled with Colin Graves’ latest Gerald ratner-like attack on the game puts more pressure than usual on Joe root.
They simply cannot afford to start losing at home as well as away, starting today at lord’s against an inexperienced Pakistan side with the potential to cause some anxious moments for england’s spluttering batting.
at least england’s preparation for this two-Test seriesies has been good, with new national selector ed smith making a boldd first choice and root deciding that the start of his second year in charge is the cue to do things his way. There was acknowledgement yesterday of the greaterater intensity root, with input from alastair Cook, has introduced to england’s training ahead of this match. and there was a gentle rebuke for his fellow Yorkshireman Graves over his controversial ‘ young people don’t like cricket’ outburst.
‘We’ve got to be really clear about how we go about this series and how we’re going to win this week,’ said root. ‘We know we’re a very good side at home and we know what we need to do to perform well here.
‘We had a good chat on sunday when we met up as a squad and made sure everyone is aware of how we’re going to approach this summer as a whole and this series in particular.’ There were smiles as well as intensity about training yesterday with england welcoming youngsters from the make a Wish charity, who very much appeared to like their cricket. root delighted one lad by giving him his Test sweater.
‘Yes, absolutely,’ said the england captain when asked if he felt young people still like the game. ‘i go down to my local club and i watch the kids on the sidelines, or getting their mums and dads to throw balls at them. it’s great. ‘We had a couple of young guys come to training and you could see whenwh they met the players ers and when they got the chance ch to play on the Nursery N Ground how much m they loved it. ‘Of course we want to expand the game but b there are still people p growing up wanting w to play cricket. We just want to make sure there are as many opportunities opport as possible for them to get into the game. Then it’s about making their experiences as enjoyable as possible.’
One youngster who looks determined to enjoy the first Test is 20-year- old Dom bess, who root confirmed will become england’s youngest fingerspinning debutant.
‘He’s a very confident young man with a lot of energy and he’s very clear about what he wants to do in the game and how he will approach this week,’ said root, who will decide between mark Wood and Chris Woakes for the last spot in england’s team this morning.
‘We hope he makes a good start to what will become a long international career.’
elsewhere, there will be sub-plots aplenty, with alastair Cook under pressure as rarely before. He equals allan border’s record with his 153rd consecutive Test, needing to prove the fire still burns.
Then there is ben stokes’ first game in england since the infamous incident in bristol that had such a negative impact on this side in australia and led to a court case that will keep him out of the second Test against india later this summer.
The peerless Jimmy anderson, meanwhile, steps out needing 10 wickets at lord’s to become only the second man in Test history after muttiah muralitharan to reach 100 on a single Test ground.
excitement is provided by Jos buttler making an overdue return to Test cricket via the unconventional route of lighting up the indian Premier league with five consecutive half-centuries.
Cook was dismissed four times out of four in New Zealand by Trent boult for a total of only 23 runs and will now come up against another highly- skilled left-armer in mohammad amir, who Pakistan insist is fully fit after a knee problem.
‘He’s in a good place,’ insisted root of Cook. ‘ i can see him playing for england for another couple of years at least but that’s completely his decision.
‘He’s such a big part of our dressing room and when he scores runs it correlates with us doing well. Hopefully he can have a really strong summer.’
it will be a big surprise if root and company do not win this series 2-0.