Root is the second best test batter of his generation. Smith, Root, then the rest.
English cricket thread
- Thread starter Samid
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26 runs off those 2 overs, New Zealand would love to have those in hand with the new ball.
Smith first?
That is a real statement from Joe Root on his first test as a player under the Stokes captaincy.
Yep, makes a change with them being bogged down and allowing fast bowlers to be rotated on the other end.
Root’s greatest achievement is seemingly not ageing one bit after a long stint as captain.
What's the statement? Why didn't you sack me as Captain after the Ashes?
Yes - I think that one is without doubt. Root will finish with more runs than the rest I think. England’s highest scorer maybe but other records won’t be easy.
I can’t agree with this, mainly because he looks about a decade younger now than he did in the West Indies. He properly Benjamin Button’d since then.
Those 3 wickets in 3 balls were key yesterday.
Also the De Grandhomme no-ball. 79-5 I think it would have been.
I think that's forgotten now but it would have been a tough tour start with first up for a new captain, tbf. Pitches offered nothing and very little publicity or interest.
can’t help but think of the carbon footprint of a pointless morning’s worth of cricket. i hope nz have a long, hard look at themselves and every single kiwi holds their hand up and admits they caused the inevitable heat death of the planet.
Well played, Joe Root.
Brilliant innings.
England have won a test match!
A poor crowd considering that it was effectively free to come and watch an all-time great get to 10,000 runs and ice a game.
Well, I think I successfully jinxed England in this thread, despite my best efforts, we still managed to win. 
Superb stuff.
Brilliant player and am glad he is off his captaincy duties.
You'd have to pay £100 and then hope we did it in the overs to avoid paying in full or half for a few hours cricket in the cold and gloom
Very good crowd tbh.
Excellent from Root.
Turned out to be a very good test match. Should be an interesting series with positives from this game but also improvements to be made by both sides.
Turned out to be a very good test match. Should be an interesting series with positives from this game but also improvements to be made by both sides.
Root ensuring that everyone gets a full refund. Forever a man of the people.
Yeah the prices considering the match situation take the piss. Nice of Root to finish it off for those that did take the gamble, a man of the people.
One of the funniest things about this England side is that they are very good at chasing. They’ve chased 359 and 277 twice in the last 3 years, I make that 3 of their top 10 11 all time run chases.
Generally I think teams are better at chasing now because of T20/ODI cricket.
Generally I think teams are better at chasing now because of T20/ODI cricket.
He’ll be feeling almost as bad as Boris Johnson, first the dozy run out then the no ball.
The one thing I think Root has in his favour that Cook did not is I don’t think playing test cricket takes as much out of him mentally. If Root can get through the last 18 months with his batting intact, I think he’ll be ok for the next few years.
Yeah Cooks game revolved around incredible levels of concentration and grinding the opposition bowlers down. He didn't have many shots , he had to dig in every time.
Root is much more naturally talented, hopefully he carries on his form for a long time.
Didn't expect England to win this, congrats.
Great win to start off with for Baz but there's still question marks over at least three batting positions. Jury very much out on Ollie Pope at three, Bairstow at five (bowled through the gate, again) and who opens. I expect Lees and Crawley have done enough for now, but Ollie Pope is leading a very charmed life in this England side and that wasn't a great audition for the number three spot. That said, McCullum might understandably reason that Pope got two excellent deliveries, even though to the naked eye he also looked like he'd been squared up.
I expect the fact England have won and have got the feel-good factor back means it will be as you were for Trent Bridge.
I expect the fact England have won and have got the feel-good factor back means it will be as you were for Trent Bridge.
McCullum has said already that he’s going to give players time rather than chop and change.
Root looks and sounds ready for bed.
Root scored 81 off 81 after Stokes got out, awesome example of applying pressure without being over exuberant in shot selection. Thought Williamson made an error in giving him easy singles both sides of the wicket in the last hour yesterday. Letting him milk 1s and 2s is fundamental to how Root applies pressure, shutting them down and making him be more exuberant in his shot selection is what you need to do.
That is sensible but Ollie Pope has two tests to make a substantial contribution at three. Just don't see it happening. Looks very side on at the crease and his head is constantly falling over to the off side. Even with the Boult dismissal he was trying to play around that.
The suspiscion is that his issues are with the mental side but every time he is out there he just doesn't look technically sound.
Pope is somebody who’s interesting. Clearly very talented but I think he’s trying to take too much on maybe? Like he’s been given coaching at occasionally totally different styles and then wants to do all of it rather than just making a decision on what feels right for him.
Obviously how you move past that is a massive question mark.
Obviously how you move past that is a massive question mark.
Pope is not a number 3 though. He bats 5 for Surrey. You would have been better off putting in a natural 3 like Bohannan and trying Brook and Pope at 5.
He's at 4 this season.
Ah my bad. Must have moved up. Still the number 3 position is just as specialist as an opener and needs the right player for it.
Fair play to Foakes. I've been massively critical of him but he played a brilliant supporting hand there.