LEFT IN TATTERS NO ESCAPE ROOT
into a match that had been slipping away.a wayward first hour passed without too much incident. Root was animated, asking for more – and his bowlers delivered.
Olly Stone forced an error from Ross Taylor, who nicked behind and that was the catalyst for the hosts to discover their mojo.
James Bracey compounded a miserable few days with the gloves as he dropped Tom Blundell, who hadn’t scored, before Mark Wood clanked Henry Nicholls on the head, the next ball taking his glove, affording the wicketkeeper the chance to partially redeem himself.
Daryl Mitchell slapped Stone to short mid-wicket and when James Anderson grabbed his first scalp by ripping through Neil Wagner’s defences, England had taken four wickets for 44 runs.
But when England batted again it was simply carnage. Rory Burns went second ball and Dom Sibley soon followed, caught at slip off the same bowler, Matt Henry.
Zak Crawley fell leg before and Ollie Pope performed his usual trick of flattering to deceive before falling in similar fashion towagner.
Dan Lawrence went second ball, nicking behind to a jubilantwagner before Bracey played a horrible sweep shot and was cleaned up by spinner Ajaz Patel.
Root had been watching this from the other end and was forced to trudge off dejectedly himself after a faint edge to the keeper off Patel.
Wood swung from the hip once too often and Stuart Broad, sadly a walking wicket these days, played and missed at a straight one.
The feelgood factor surrounding England’s return in front of a paying public has well and truly fallen flat.