Decision to bowl hangs in balance

JOE ROOT is battling the weight of history after he inserted Australia on a ‘belter’ and his bowlers let him down. The skies were grey and there was rain in the air when Root (left) decided to bowl first, but former England skipper Michael Vaughan said: “When you win the toss and bowl, you want more than four.

“England didn’t start well enough. They set the tone so badly in the first hour.”

Some pundits were more aggressive. “You have to use your eyes,” said Shane Warne. “And that pitch is an absolute belter. You have to bat first.”

Phil Tufnell saw it differently when he said: “Root’s decision was a positive, proactive thing. The bowlers let him down.”