Pressure off so Root can rack up runs
JOE ROOT will thrive as just another foot soldier in the England ranks after stepping down as captain. Former coach Paul Farbrace expects Root to have a scorching hot summer with the bat now that he has had the leadership stress and pressure lifted from his broad shoulders.
Farbrace insists the Yorkshireman has made the correct decision to quit the post after a miserable winter and at the start of a summer in which the Test side desperately need to bounce back with some success on the field.
Root, 31, quit after five years in the job, having led the side to a record number of Test wins, 27 out of 64 in charge.
He had a sudden change of mind, having claimed after the 4-0 Ashes loss and the series defeat in West Indies that he wanted to stay as captain.
The side has endured its worst run since 1980 – just one win in 17 Tests.
It leaves the ECB searching for a new leader, with Ben
Stokes seen by most as the obvious long-term successor.
England begin their summer international campaign with two
Tests against New
Zealand, starting on
June 2, and supporters can expect to see Root improve his impressive record with the bat.
He is England’s second-highest Test run scorer with 9,889 and Farbrace, now director of cricket at Warwickshire, said: “Joe has always strived to push on and be the best he can, whether he is captain of the team or not. He’s a very motivated man.
“And I fully expect he will do the same post-captaincy and the fact that giving it up will take so much of the burden, responsibility and pressure off his back will probably show in his performance.
“I expect he will flourish, score a lot more vital runs for the side and play important batting roles in any success they have from now on.
“He has taken a lot of stick about his captaincy tactically. But it wasn’t about Joe being a poor captain as to why England have not played well.we simply don’t have a team capable of challenging the best in the world at the moment.
“He didn’t carry on leading the side because he was being selfish and because it was about him. He did so because he felt it was the best thing for the team.
“But that shows me why he will be an exception in terms of players going from captaincy back into the ranks.
“Now it is vital England get the right man to succeed him.
“Stokes seems to be the obvious one to ask but it is whether he wants the captaincy.
“He has said he doesn’t yearn for it but perhaps he would take it if offered.”
Essex beat
Somerset by one wicket after chasing a target of only 84 thanks to
Adam Rossington.
The visitors crashed to 60-8 before
Rossington’s 29 not out steered them home. Surrey beat Hants by an innings and 17 runs at the Oval, while James Bracey scored 112 not out for Gloucs against Yorks. Lancs need four wickets to beat Kent and Michael Jones hit his maiden first-class ton
for Durham.