ROOT ROCKET
Joe blast can get England flying
JOE ROOT expects to see his England team soar from the start of 2020 after clear-theair talks following their dismal defeat at Centurion.
The 107-run loss in the first Test against South Africa was enough for the skipper to dish out a few home truths to his players who have under-performed over the last 12 months. And head coach Chris Silverwood was quick to back him up.
Root (left) might not get the chance to see England at their best in the second Test in Cape Town, with Rory Burns crocked and Jofra Archer also likely to miss out injured. But he from DEAN WILSON in Cape Town
still wants to see his team make the running rather than fall behind and play catch-up.
“We spoke honestly after the last game and it’s sometimes nice actually when there is a bit of emotion involved,” said Root.
“It was important to get the message across that when our backs are against the wall, on a number of occasions in the last year, we have come out and shown a huge amount of character and a massive improvement on the first innings.
“The most important thing we have to harness is not waiting to be on the back foot. The big challenge this week is, once we get in a position of 150-3 like we were in the last game, let’s really make that count.
“Let’s not have to scrap back into the game like we have done on so many occasions.
“It wasn’t like a grilling, it wasn’t like Alex Ferguson’s hairdryer.
“It was a good conversation. Speaking honestly, getting it out there in the open and giving us some real clarity about how we want to approach this week.”
After continued disruption to the team due to illness and injury, Root can just be grateful that the 11 players who will take the field will be fit and healthy.
That includes Ben Stokes, who put on a stunning show at this ground in 2016, blasting 258 from just 198 balls.
James Anderson, Stuart Broad, Stokes and Root are the only players to rely on to deliver a Test-class performance.
Jos Buttler is on the cusp of a breakthrough, as is Joe Denly, but neither they nor Sam Curran and new boys Dom Sibley, Ollie Pope, Dom Bess or Zak Crawley could be called Test match bankers just yet.