ROOT STEPS UP TO No 3 FOR ASHES SHOWDOWN

JoE RooT has agreed to bat at no 3 in Thursday’s first Test against australia at Edgbaston in a bid to solve England’s top- order crisis. Head coach Trevor Bayliss has made no secret of his desire for the Test captain to prevent early collapses rather than react to them, though Root reportedly made the decision to move up a spot before Bayliss spoke to him. Root averages 40 at no 3, compared with 48 at no 4 and 71 at no 5, and has not batted at first drop since the first innings of the fourth Test against India at southampton last summer.

But his new place in the batting line-up for the ashes will help bolster an inexperienced top order, with openers Rory Burns and Jason Roy having only eight caps between them.

Root has not batted at no 3 against australia since England’s disastrous 2013-14 ashes tour, when he passed 24 only once in six innings before being dropped for the only time in his Test career.

But he also made his highest Test score — 254 against Pakistan at old Trafford in July 2016 — from his new position.

PA In the firing line: Root will go in at the fall of the first wicket to bolster a shaky top order