Now Root swallows a dose of reality

WHEN Joe Root agreed with a pre-match suggestion that his captaincy might benefit from a backs-to-the-wall challenge, the gods were clearly listening.

By stumps on a fast-moving second day in Nottingham, he had his wish.

While a jubilant South Africa have made a mockery of their poor performance in the first Test, Root has discovered a sobering truth learned over time by his predecessor, Alastair Cook.

And those facts ought to focus the new captain’s mind just as the euphoria of Lord’s threatened to cloud it: England remain incurably inconsistent.

In replying to South Africa’s handy 335 with an anaemic 205, they confirmed why they are marooned mid-table in the Test rankings.

The facts are damning. Between their three successive victories at home to India in 2014 and the start of this series, England had won 12 Tests. And their record in the game after each win has told its own tale: won three, lost seven, drawn two.

With South Africa progressing to 75 for one in their second innings for a commanding overall lead of 205, an eighth defeat may soon be added to the ledger.

England, then, are never more likely to fail than when they have just succeeded. And as they fell apart on a grey day in Nottingham, the sole surprise was that anyone should have been surprised.

Only Root, with a gorgeous 78 from 76 balls, and Jonny Bairstow, whose 45 was curtailed by a beauty from the left-arm spinner Keshav Maharaj, showed any gumption.

The rest seemed determined to disprove writer Neville Cardus’s line about Trent Bridge being ‘a lotus land for batsmen, a place where it was always afternoon and 360 for two wickets’.

In fact, the day made Cardus look a bit daft. It began with South Africa losing four first-innings wickets for 26 to Jimmy Anderson, who celebrated his seventh five-for in nine Nottingham Tests by adding opener Heino Kuhn when the tourists batted again.

In between, England were skittled inside 52 overs of batting that veered between the hapless and the haphazard.

The conditions helped bowlers of all dominations and, give or take some loose fare from seamer Duanne Olivier, South Africa’s were mainly excellent.

But worryingly for England, their innings unfolded as many might have predicted.

Cook was given out caught behind on review for three after edging Vernon Philander on to his pad, but then the former captain is the least of England’s top-order problems.

That much was evident when Keaton Jennings hung back to the next ball, from Morne Morkel, and was caught behind for the second duck of his embryonic Test career.

Jennings does have credit in the bank after his hundred on debut in Mumbai before Christmas, but six subsequent innings have produced only one half-century.

England have spent a long time searching for Cook’s permanent opening partner, so they desperately need Jennings to succeed. The jury, though, is out.

For Gary Ballance, the day of judgment may be approaching rather more quickly. It’s true that, for a while, as he and Root set about repairing a scoreline of three for two, Ballance looked the part.

Root was batting in the fast lane, his partner was in his slipstream, and at lunch it was 85 for two from only 17 overs. England seemed to be breathing more easily. Then, to the seventh ball after the break, Ballance failed to get forward to a regulation delivery from Philander, and was bowled via inside edge and pad. He had made only 27.

Grumbling that Ballance doesn’t get forward is like a sailor complaining about the sea. England are obliged to live with the fact — and hope he will eventually justify his captain’s faith.

If not, the selectors will need to decide if he plays against West Indies next month, by which time he may have half a foot on the plane to Australia.

On the evidence of his third crack at Test cricket, the Aussies will welcome him with open arms.

Such dark thoughts began to disperse while Root was equalling Graham Gooch’s record for the fastest Test 50 — in 40 balls — by

an England captain. And with Bairstow providing resolute assistance, his side raced to 143 for three.

But Root chose the wrong ball to drive off Morkel, and Ben Stokes made a prolonged duck that ended with a messy catch to wicketkeeper Quinton de Kock off Maharaj — his fate confirmed when replays showed the ball had not hit the grille of de Kock’s helmet after rebounding off his left shoulder.

Bairstow followed, before Chris Morris mopped up after tea. In total, England’s last seven wickets tumbled for 62 — and all against an attack missing the suspended Kagiso Rabada, who should be fresh and raring to go for the third Test at The Oval.

Without him, South Africa actually looked more potent than they had during a gaffe-strewn bowling effort at Lord’s. Catches were held, wickets were taken with legal deliveries, and Maharaj found turn.

It may be no coincidence that Faf du Plessis is back from paternity leave to lead the side. Equally, as Root discovered at Lord’s, du Plessis has found that a dose of luck never goes amiss.

While England batted throughout under cloying cloud cover, both South Africa’s innings enjoyed bursts of sunshine. And in this part of the world you look up rather than down.

The tourists, though, have exploited the conditions like old hands. If England recover from here, they will deserve the freedom of Nottingham.

As if from nowhere, this fourmatch series now looks beautifully poised.