Root dismisses worries over top order but doesn’t rule out changes

England captain Joe Root played down concerns over his side’s misfiring top order after a comprehensive, series-levelling defeat to South Africa but kept the door open for changes ahead of the third Investec Test.

After starting his reign with a handsome victory at Lord’s, Root saw his team humbled at Trent Bridge where they were skittled for 133 in 44.2 overs for a 340-run defeat.

Doubts over opener Keaton Jennings and Root’s Yorkshire team-mate Gary Ballance are growing rather than receding with each innings, with the pair making 44 and 85 respectively in four knocks apiece.

Ballance’s crease-bound technique has been exposed again on his third coming as a Test batsman, while Jennings’ dismissal by Vernon Philander for three, was unedifying indeed.

Root, pictured, provided some support for the pair, but hinted their positions were not guaranteed for the Oval Test. “No, I don’t think the top three is a concern. They just need some runs and to spend some time out in the middle,” he said.

“I’m sure, if they get the opportunity to do that in the next game, they will go on and make big scores.

“We’ll sit down with selection and make sure we’re happy with what we have going into the next one.”

Another player potentially looking over his shoulder is paceman Mark Wood. The Durham player returned to the red-ball setup after a two-year injury-enforced absence at the start of this series but has managed just one wicket for 197 runs in two Tests.

Bowling coach Ottis Gibson suggested he had experienced some discomfort in his heel – not his troublesome ankle –but Root is hoping that issue does not develop.

“It’s been a tough week for Woody, really,” he said. “He worked really hard throughout the game and was unfortunate not to pick up many wickets but I can’t fault his efforts, the way he’s gone about it.

Proteas captain Faf du Plessis missed the first Test after returning home to be with his partner and new-born baby, but returned in style.

He said: “We focused on getting back to things this side does really well. There were periods in the first Test when we played well but then let England dominate us. This was an important Test for us.” Edinburgh Diving Club’s Grace Reid admits she has taken great confidence from finishing fifth with partner Katherine Torrance in the 3-metre synchro event at the World Championships in Budapest yesterday.

The 21-year-old has two more events – the 3m individual and the 3m mixed synchro with Tom Daley – to come later in the week.

But Reid, in her first World Championships, has taken heart from hershowing yesterday and will regroup with coach Nick Robinson-baker before returning to the board on Thursday.

She said: “We’re up there with the best girls in the world and that is a real confidence booster.”

Having finished fourth in the European Championships in Kiev last month, the duo were feeling good heading into the big event in Hungary, and they eased through the qualifying round in the morning in eighth place, posting a score of 271.20.

In the afternoon they sat in seventh after three rounds, but put together further dives of 68.40 points and 64.80 points to climb up to fifth, finishing on 294.60 points.

China won the gold medal with 333.30 points, Canada were second with Russia third.

Reid dives next on Thursday in the 3m individual event.

Meanwhile, fellow Scot James Heatly has been reflecting on a positive first World Championships experience.

The 20-year-old from the Edinburgh Diving Club finished ninth in the 1m springboard event on Sunday with a personalbest score.

Having made it through the qualifying round, he then posted 374.50 in the final.

His best score for a single dive was 70.40 in his second dive while he hit 66.30 with his final dive.

Peng Jianfeng, of China, took the gold medal with 448.40 points and Heatly said: “This was a really nice end to a long season, I can’t believe I came ninth in the world, it gives me a lot to build on.”