ROOT SKILL NEVER GROWS OLD

England's Peter Pan shows why he's not ready to sling hook

- GARY FITZGERALD

JOE ROOT heads to Lord's simply "loving" his 'Peter Pan' role for England's youthful Test outfit.

Root, 33, showed in the First Test win over Sri Lanka in Manchester just how much his country still depends on him.

All the talk in the build-up had centred on how England would cope without the massive influence and energy of Ben Stokes.

But as Ollie Pope - who led the side to a slightly different and slower manner of victory in his place said after the game: "There was a sense of calmness with Rooty out there batting.

"We were all confident he was going to take it home!" Root, hoping to help England clinch the series this week at Lord's while adding to his 12,131 runs from 144 Tests, did not let the side down.