DROPPED ON ZERO . . .THEN ROOT’S A HERO
Just when it seemed the ghosts of recent Ashes past had returned to haunt England, up popped Joe Root and later Ben stokes to thrill a capacity Cardiff crowd and show Australia that things just might be a little different this time. All the pain and hurt of the 5-0 humiliation that led to so many recriminations was in danger of flooding back when England crashed to 43 for three on the first morning of the most important test series of them all.
Yet this is a new England, a reinvigorated side who made good on their promise that they would take the fight to Australia with the attacking brand of cricket that served them so well against New Zealand.
None more so than Root who, since being dropped in sydney before the last test of that most harrowing of Ashes, has transformed himself into one of the best batsmen in the world in all forms of the game.
His efforts were not enough to give his side total control as an absorbing first day of this eagerly anticipated Investec series ended with England at 343 for seven and honours just about even. But how vital Root’s contribution was.
there was every chance that England would be blown away by this formidable Australian attack and their Ashes hopes severely damaged on the first day in Cardiff when they quickly lost Adam Lyth, Alastair Cook and Ian Bell.
But, just as he did at Lord’s in the first test of the summer when he joined forces with stokes to rescue England from the perils of 30 for four, Root led a brilliant counterattack with a quite magnificent 134.
How different the day could have been had Root not survived a torrid start which saw him close to lbw from his first ball from Mitchell starc and then dropped off his second by the forlorn figure of Brad Haddin.
Root’s response was to smile, as is his wont, and warm to his task purposefully with a series of flowing drives on an agonisingly slow pitch that did much to nullify the threat of rapid left- armers starc and Mitchell Johnson.
He was joined in a priceless partnership of 153 by a man who came into this test under some scrutiny after having his technique dissected by another left-armer of class but not quite as much pace in New Zealand’s trent Boult.
Gary Ballance had been reduced to playing French cricket against Boult but here he showed the temperament and toughness that saw him make such an impressive start to his test career before New Zealand came to town. While Root was busy and enterprising, Ballance showed there is still a place for traditional test attributes by digging in and playing the supporting role to his Yorkshire team- mate and one- time flat-mate.
the pair did not have everything their own way. Root inside-edged Johnson past his leg-stump on 53 and survived a reviewed lbw on 62 when Kumar Dharmasena rightly judged that Nathan Lyon’s delivery had pitched outside leg stump.
Ballance, meanwhile, felt the full force of Johnson when he twice took blows on his body while turning away from the ball in a manner that could cause him trouble if he repeats it on a faster pitch than this moribund surface.
But by the time Ballance missed a delivery from the deserving Josh Hazlewood and was palpably lbw, England were back in the contest and Australia knew, at the very least, they will have a fight on their hands to retain the urn.
Nothing emphasised England’s intent more than the fact they rattled along at close to four an over for the bulk of the day and Root’s seventh hundred in test cricket, and second in the Ashes, duly came off just 118 balls.
It was a landmark that was vociferously acclaimed by the Cardiff crowd and drew applause from the bulk of the Australian side. All, it seemed, apart from Root’s bete noire David Warner, who last week unwisely opened up the old wounds of their clash two years ago in a Birmingham bar.
the pace was cranked up a notch when Root was joined by stokes, who topedged the first bouncer he received from Johnson over the short straight boundary for six and then hit Lyon long and straight towards the River taff.
If this pair of exciting talents with huge futures could have stayed until the close England really would have been in the driving seat but Root started to struggle with a back niggle and edged an attempted drive low to first slip.
then stokes was cleaned up by an absolutely beauty from starc, who put his finger to his lips to provide a silent send-off on a day when, it should be said, there was no verbal nastiness to sully the renewed spirit of the game. Cook had understandably decided to bat but conditions suited bowling in the first session and Hazlewood, with his Glenn McGrath-like attributes, took a wicket in his first Ashes over when Lyth was turned round and edged to gully.
the captain desperately tried to be positive against the spin of Lyon but had faced 14 balls from him without scoring when he went to play his favoured cut and only succeeded in edging to Haddin.
Bell hit three centuries when Australia were beaten 3-0 here two years ago but his form has collapsed since his hundred against West Indies in Antigua and here he almost holed out to Lyon before being trapped by a starc inswinger.
England’s most experienced batsman has scored just 56 runs in his last nine innings and desperately needs a score in the second dig here or at Lord’s if he is not goingi t to come under severe pressure for his place.
For now Bell was one of the few negatives on a first day that ended with Moeen Ali and Jos Buttler, who frustratingly gave his wicket away to Hazlewood just before the close, taking on the second new ball rather than being cowed by it.
If that said much for England’s attitude on a day that had similarities with the famous first one at Edgbaston 10 years ago, then so did the figures of the man who destroyed them with 37 wickets last time they met.
Johnson was seriously quick but he finished wicketless and conceded 87 runs at more than four an over. should that be the story of his summer then England really can dare to dream.
5 THE omens are good for England. The team who has won the toss in the first Test of the last five series has gone on to win the Ashes.