WHAT AWAY TO WIN
Root demands more heroics after England cure travel sickness
JOE ROOT has called on his England team to ensure their ‘special’ victory in the first Test is not a one-off as they set about trying to secure the series next week in Pallekele.
England have the chance to clinch their first series triumph in Sri Lanka since Nasser Hussain’s team won here in 2000-01.
‘It’s been frustrating but it’s not like we’re the only side that struggles away from home,’ said Root. ‘It makes it even sweeter when you do come to very difficult venues like Galle and manage to win games.
‘It’s very special. Hopefully, we can build on this. We can go to Kandy (Pallekele is a suburb of Kandy) with a huge amount of confidence and look to improve.’
Asked whether the first away win of his Test captaincy felt like a springboard for the rest of his time in charge, Root replied: ‘A little bit. But more than that, in these last eight months or so, we’ve got a clear plan of how we want to get to being the No 1 side in the world.
‘We’ve grown throughout the summer and this is a step in the right direction. To see so many talented players around is a credit to the hard work of the group.’
It was close to the perfect performance from England on a ground where they had never won to halt a truly dismal run of 13 away Tests without a single victory. Totally unexpected, too, after the most unsatisfactory preparation.
Everywhere you looked there were success stories for England. There was a century and brilliant keeping on his debut from Ben Foakes, who must be here to stay having only got his chance as cover for the injured Jonny Bairstow.
There was a potentially career-saving hundred from Keaton Jennings, who proved that, against spin at least, he has the talent, technique and temperament to open the batting for England.
And there was the sight of England’s three-pronged spin attack totally out-bowling Sri Lanka’s on a ground that has been their fortress by taking 16 wickets between them to gatecrash Rangana Herath’s retirement party.
It was all over yesterday after England had methodically worked their way through the Sri Lanka line-up, with the help of some awful shot selection, when Herath was run out in his final Test, a reminder that sport rarely provides fairytales.
For once, Herath was on the losing side in Galle even though that looked inconceivable when England crashed to 103 for five on the first morning after Root had totally misjudged conditions and decided England must go on all-out attack before the pitch crumbled. It never did.
To recover from that perilous position and win by 211 runs within four days on this of all grounds is quite a comeback, particularly as inexperienced players like Foakes, Sam Curran and Jack Leach were at the forefront of it.
Root was a disappointment with the bat, but his captaincy was proactive, thoughtful, positive and authoritative. He is growing rapidly into the job.
And what a joyous sight it has been to see Leach bowl so well and take five wickets in the match — and give his captain a control that not even Moeen Ali could match, even though he produced his best overseas figures with eight victims.
This has been a remarkable Test, not least because not a single ball was lost to rain despite it teeming down almost every evening.
With two Tests to play, England have every chance of emulating Hussain’s side by winning in Sri Lanka.
Now they must decide on their best XI for the second Test, with Bairstow itching to regain the gloves after injuring his ankle playing football earlier in the tour.
That will be easier said than done with his replacement here, debutant Foakes, walking off with the man-of-the-match award.
For Foakes, it was a case of absorbing his new status as a Test cricketer. He diplomatically toed the party line on the subject of Bairstow’s return.
‘If you’d asked me two weeks ago, I was having six months off so to be sat here now is unbelievable. Jonny will be fit, so I guess he’s No 1 and if I play one game I’m quite happy with that one.’
Root was revelling in the fact that the various decisions will be made from a position of strength.
‘We’ve some difficult selections ahead, which I’m not complaining about,’ he said.