Billy the kid steps out of Root’s shadow
BILLy ROOT takes full responsibility for the six smashed off his bowling by big brother Joe that sealed Nottinghamshire’s defeat by yorkshire earlier this season.
‘I talked him into it I’m afraid,’ said the younger Root. ‘I was winding Joe up, telling Stuart Broad to come in a bit closer in the field because he can’t hit it very far. Then he smacked it. It was a good shot to be fair. He gave an absolute lesson that day. He showed everyone how to play.’
The pair had travelled to Trent Bridge together from home in Sheffield. ‘I made him drive because he’s got a nicer car,’ said Billy. ‘We didn’t talk about the game on the way down but we did on the way back. He told me a few things he saw in my batting and gave me tips. It seemed to work soon after.’
Billy smiles because ‘ soon after’ was the time he finally began to step out of the shadow of a famous older brother. Root junior hit a maiden first-team century last week against Warwickshire that propelled Notts to a thrilling win.
‘We were in trouble so I was just trying to get us close and then the hundred just snuck up at the end,’ said Billy. ‘At the time it was more about, ‘‘How many can we get?’’. But when I was in the car after I thought about it and realised it was a big moment.’
Billy momentarily resembles England’s new Test captain in the way he speaks but t in truth the brothers are very different. Not least in their contrasting career paths.
While Joe has had a meteoric rise to the top, Billy is something of a late developer who only now, at 24, is getting a run of first-team games with Notts after spells with yorkshiree and Leicestershire.
Before now the bigg moments have been Joe’s preserve but there is no jealousy y from a younger sibling who hh has never felt uncomfortable in Joe’s shadow. And Billy insists he always knew Joe was destined for greatness.
‘Joe being so successful makes it easier because if I need help he’s a handy person to call upon,’ said Billy. ‘It’s unbelievable how well he’s done. What is he? No 3 in the world? And he’s been No 1. It’s pretty cool.
‘He was always very good. He was always able to make runs in any cricket and was playing with adults when he was 10.
‘We differ in quite a few ways and not just because I’m a lefthander. He’s very strong off the back foot and I’m more of a front-foot player. He’s got a very good temperament and I like to whack it. I can sometimes be impetuous.’
Perhaps that temperament has delayed the progress of a man who considered packing the game in when success did not come as easily as it did to his brother. ‘I was playing for Notts seconds against Worcester,’ said Billy. ‘I’d had a run of ducks and then I was dropped on nought. It was like, “Here we go again. Can I do this?” But I made 200 and thought, “OK, maybe I can do it”.’
Now the batsman and offspinner is looking to build on his progress at Notts, starting with today’s televised Royal London Cup match against Durham, and reach the point where ‘if I do something it will be me doing it, not Joe’s brother’.
‘I was at an interview at Leeds Met University (he started a degree in sports business management) when I got a call from Paul Franks asking me to play in the Notts second team,’ said Root. ‘I’ve been here ever since and I’ve postponed the degree now. It means I can focus on cricket.’ And make a name for himself in the process.