Root back in pole for the Ashes
BETTING: 7-4 Forbidden Land, 5-2 Hubert, 4 Lexington Rebel, 5 Point of Order, 16 A Go Go, 25 Now I’m A Believer, 33 Lets Go Lucky.
11-8fav Rearing in stalls, chased winner, no impression when hung both ways over 1f out, lost 2nd towards finish, 3rd of 5, 2 1/4l behind Praxeology at Salisbury 6f 2yo nov stk (2) sft in Jun. 7-4 Chased leaders on rail, ridden over 1f out, kept on towards finish pressing for 2nd, no chance with winner, 3rd of 11, 3l behind Fleeting Prince at Windsor 6f 2yo nov stk (5) gf in Jul.
Dabirsim colt out of Silent Sunday. 1-1fav Chased leaders, switched towards outside over 1f out, soon ridden, outpaced and no impression inside final furlong, last of 5, 5l behind One Bite at Hamilton 5f 2yo nov stk (4) gd in Jul. 40-1 Chased leaders, pushed along 2f out, ridden and weakened over 1f out, 6th of 11, 6l behind Incinerator at Catterick 6f 2yo mdn (5) gs in Jul.
NJOE Denly had no qualms when Joe Root pulled rank on him to claim the number-three spot in England’s Ashes line-up and expects the first Test at Edgbaston to be the pinnacle of his career.
Captain Root approached head coach Trevor Bayliss after last week’s Ireland Test and volunteered to reclaim the key position.
Bayliss has long been keen for Root to accept the responsibility and he has now shelved his concerns in a bid to bolster a top order that has too often looked light on both runs and experience.
As a result, Denly will move down a place in tomorrow’s series opener against Australia, his third different slot in four appearances at the highest level.
Far from feeling slighted, the 33-year-old was merely happy to hear he would be part of the team that will lead England’s battle to reclaim the urn.
“Rooty rang me the other day and told me he wanted to bat number three and wanted me to go four. It was as simple as that,” he said. He just wants to get involved in the game, get up there and out in the middle, and hopefully get a lot of runs. I don’t think there’s any more to it than that.
“I wasn’t too fussed really where I was batting, it’s just great to be in that XI. I’ve batted at four before when playing for Kent and throughout my career, so it wasn’t really a big issue, I’m just happy to be playing.
“I’m really excited to get going in what will probably be the highlight of my career.”
Taking the field against Australia is sure to be a moment of huge significance for Denly, who is experiencing a second chance at international level that once appeared highly unlikely.
His first brief taste came a decade ago as a limited-overs specialist and for most of the intervening period he was a long shot to return to England colours.
An upturn in form over the past couple of years, coupled with the faith of national selector Ed Smith - his former team-mate at Kent - has changed the story.
“Everyone from a young age dreams of playing in an Ashes series and to finally get that chance, I’m certainly excited and up for the challenge,” he said.
“There’s no doubt that the Australian bowling line-up is one of the best in the world. They have all bases covered really and, as a top-order batter, that is where you want to be – testing yourself against the best.”