Legend’s message to England’s struggling skipper ROOT OF THE PROBLEM
CRICKET Captaincy is weighing too hea vily on Joe’s shoulders, says Gower BAYLISS: SIBLEY CAN SOLVE OPENING CRISIS
DAVID GOWER called Steve Smith “The Amazing Dancing Bear” when he first broke into the Australian team.
But it was England skipper Joe Root who resembled a cat on a hot tin roof for the majority of the Ashes.
The comparison between Australia’s best batsman and the man widely recognised as England’s top player was stark this summer.
Smith scored 774 runs at an average of 110 in just four Tests.
The England captain, meanwhile, hit 325 runs at an average of just 32 and played one more match than the Aussies’ returning hero.
Dominance
Gower (right) knows better than most just how heavily the captaincy can weigh on a player’s shoulders.
He captained England in two separate spells, winning just five of his 32 Tests.
His last series as captain ended with a 4-0 Ashes hiding that kicked off almost two decades of Australian dominance over England.
Root’s record is far better than that. But there remains a nagging feeling that leading the side is having a negative impact on his record at the crease.
Gower admitted: “When things go badly, then captaincy can weigh more heavily on your mind.
“If things aren’t going your way, then it can make things harder, for sure, because you’re as worried about everyone else as you are about yourself. “Over a longer period, class will tell. “What Joe is most upset about is the number of chances he has had to turn 50s into 100s. The number of times he has done that will be annoying him. Smith has been incredible in this series. He has found a way of playing and a way of scoring runs that works for him and works for Australia.
“He has been head and shoulders above the rest on both sides.
“And, once he’s in, you know you’re in for a very long slog because he is very, very hard to get out.”
England found that to their cost this summer, with the former captain proving a thorn in their side every time he came to the crease.
Root, meanwhile, got plenty of starts but never threatened to kick on.
In 68 Tests, Smith has now scored 26 hundreds. That tally puts him just seven behind the 33 centuries that Alastair Cook compiled in his career – and Smith has p played 93 fewer Tests.
Root’s century total remains s stubbornly stuck at 16 in 86 matches.
He has just one – against the W West Indies back in February – in his past 20 innings.
I If England are going to make it to the final of the first World Test Championship and regain The Ashes Down Under in 2021/ 22, then that’s clearly going to have to change.
Gower added: “I don’t think there has been a gulf between the two teams this summer. But Australia have been the better team.
“We have had our chances, particularly in the first Test before Steve Smith obliterated them.
“There are batsmen [in this England team] who aren’t up to Test cricket and there are people who haven’t been playing at their best.”
And that, ultimately, is why the Aussies and their amazing dancing bear, flew home with the urn.
David Gower is touring UK theatres this autumn with On The Front Foot. Tickets: www.david-gower.com DOMINIC SIBLEY looks set to win his first England call-up tomorrow – with a real chance to nail down a position as a Test match opener.
The 24-year-old Warwickshire star has scored over 1,300 runs in the County Championship this summer at an average of 69.68. No other contender comes close, as England’s selectors prepare to name their squad for the New Zealand tour, which opens on October 27 and concludes in a two-test series.
Outgoing England head coach Trevor Bayliss wants Sibley in.
Bayliss, who was not on the selection panel, said: “In Test cricket we are still looking for three or even four players to complete the side. I’d like to see Dom Sibley and Zak Crawley in sooner rather than later.”
Kent opener Crawley is looking unlikely to be chosen this time. Surrey youngster Ollie Pope is the other batsman set to be selected from outside the Ashes group.
A regular opener to partner Rory Burns is one issue. This is the job for Sibley. A consistent middle-order batsman is the hole for Pope to fill.
But Bayliss warned: “You have to ask whether the county game is producing the Test players we need.
“There are too many teams. If you had fewer – maybe 10 – you’d see tougher cricketers develop, players who are better prepared for the Test game.” and while he is relishing another showdown with Jackson he knows his opposite number is a better player than a year ago.
Mahomes said: “I’ve seen his progression. He has always had the talent but it’s about learning the offence and he has done that, and he still has his running ability. It’s going to be a challenge for our whole team.
“They are great in every aspect of the game and I feel like we are too, so they will be a great opponent to start off with at home.”
The Chiefs’ Arrowhead Stadium is one of the loudest in the league, with 76,000 passionate fans, famous for their full-throated support.
Having played both games so far on the road, Mahomes can’t wait to see his home supporters once more.
He said: “The whole team is excited finally to be in Arrowhead. We get to play a great opponent and we get to go out there and represent the Kingdom.”