Joe on the right route
JOE ROOT could break out a big first-test smile in Antigua – and not just because he has now scored more hundreds than any other England captain.
Root’s team not only put a firm halt to their losing trend this winter, but were also in a position to go looking for an unlikely win with a sporting declaration on day five.
It might have been in a little more hope than expectation as the pitch continued to hold firm rather than crumble and break up.
But there was always the chance that the Windies batsmen might crumble instead and that is where spinner Jack Leach took advantage.
Either side of tea the left-arm twirler put the cat among the pigeons with three quick wickets to reduce the home side to 67-4, in pursuit of their target of 286.
Brilliant
The declaration at 349-6 had come in large part thanks to Root, who had brought up his 24th Test hundred to move one clear of Kevin Pietersen on the England all-time list.
Sir Alastair Cook still remains in the overall lead with 33, but he only managed 12 of them while in charge of the side and has now been overtaken on that metric by the brilliant Root back at No.3.
It was a continuation of his sublime form from 2021, but it is the team progress that matters most.
It was the first time in more than five years that three or more England batsmen had scored a hundred in a match.
Yes, the pitch was slow, and yes the Windies bowlers found life hard with the older ball, but England’s batting bar Root has been on the floor for a year, so this was a genuine positive to cling on to.
Carrot
Root offered the carrot of a chase and gave his bowlers 70 overs in which to try and pull off a stunning victory, bearing in mind they would have to do so without the pace of Mark Wood.
He was in too much agony after bowling just six balls before play to even consider tuning his arm over again in the match.
Elbows can be a tricky joint to get right for a fast bowler when they come under such strain, just ask Jofra Archer.
And the fear is that Wood’s tour may now be over. Despite his absence, others stepped up along with Leach to make up for it, such as Ben
Stokes.
Stokes astounded the medics with more wholehearted overs, and he even prized out Windies skipper Kraigg Brathwaite for 33 to get things started with one that kept a little low.
Leach, though, was the main threat after John Campbell was caught at mid-on inexplicably trying to clear the ropes into the stiff breeze.
Shamarh Brooks was very well held low down by Zak Crawley at slip before Jermaine
Blackwood had a terrible and illjudged hack across the line and was leg before wicket.
Cajoling
With his skipper Root cajoling and encouraging the spinner, he was finally given the sort of attacking field that he deserved with five men round the bat.
And the sight of an England team on top for the first time since the middle of last summer certainly merits a smile.