IT'S READY, STEADY, JOE

Rock-solid Root gives England a springboard

- Gideon BROOKS

AT times, glancing up at a scoreboard showing a strike rate in the high 60s as he approached a hundred, Joe Root must have felt like a throwback. 

As others banged, crashed and burned like fireworks around him as England hurtled towards a shock declaration at 393-8, his progress was reassuringly serene.

But when the dust settles on a sun-drenched first day of battle, which ended with Australia 14-0 in reply, his captain Ben Stokes and coach Brendon McCullum – joint architects of Bazball – will have cause to raise a glass to Root.

Because without him, this opening day could have taken on a very different hue for England and Stokes on a deck which Australia will be rubbing their hands to bat on.

Steve Smith and Co may yet make England’s early dart with two wickets still remaining look strange indeed. Day two will tell.