GOLDEN DAY FOR OUR GOLDEN JOE
Moeen spincredible as Root wins in first game as skipper
JOE ROOT’S golden touch remains in perfect working order after leading his team to an emphatic 211-run win over South Africa in his first game in charge.
Any concerns the England captaincy could have a negative impact on his batting or the team’s results were blown out of the water with a maiden victory which had all the hallmarks of his positive style.
A big hundred in the first innings at Lord’s with a strike rate of more than 80, followed by a four-day win with spinner all-rounder Moeen Ali taking his first 10-wicket haul. Easiest job in the world.
“I wouldn’t say it’s the easiest job in the world, especially dealing with blokes like Mo everyday,” chuckled Root.
“But it’s a great start and the whole team were fabulous throughout. Everything that was thrown at them and asked of them, they responded really well so it is great to be 1-0 up going to Nottingham.
“I didn’t really know what to expect of the captaincy if I’m being brutally honest, but what was really pleasing is that everything I asked of the lads, they were very open to do and responded well to.”
But what did he tell his players to do that was so different from his predecessor Alastair Cook, other than asking Ali to be more attacking with the ball?
“All I said was I wanted us to be quite pro-active and stay ahead of the game when those opportunities came around and take responsibility if you’re in a position to do so,” he explained. “I think everyone at certain points did that.
“Everyone has played their part in this game. There were some crucial periods where guys showed a lot of character, read the situation well and affected the game in a positive manner.”
So far so good for Root and England, but cut through the warm fug of celebration and it is clear this was not the hardest fought of victories.
Because as well as England played, they were assisted considerably by the ineptitude of South Africa, who looked like a team playing the fifth Test of a series not the first.
They made so many costly errors from no-balls in the first innings to dropped catches in the second that England did not have to be at their best.
On a day when 19 wickets fell at Lord’s for the first time since 2003, England managed to find themselves in charge largely because they made fewer mistakes than the opposition.
That is a skill in itself and who could deny Ali bowled with skill and verve on a pitch that helped him as the tourists capitulated.
But stand-in Proteas skipper Dean Elgar admitted his frustrations when he said: “There were small things that could have changed the result in the Test.
“Small things but they impacted the Test in quite a big way: dropped catches, nonnegotiable no balls, they would definitely have made life easier as a captain.
“We haven’t been kind to ourselves the last four days. We need to take it on the chin and need to crack on.”
They will do so without fast bowler Kagiso Rabada at Trent Bridge on Friday, as he serves a one-game ban. They have captain Faf du Plessis back to steady the ship, however coach Russell Domingo has left the tour for a family emergency.