‘Right staff’ Root delights Cook

Alastair Cook hailed Joe Root’s ‘character’ as he did his best to keep a lid on expectations of a 5-0 Ashes rout after England’s crushing 347 run-win over Australia in the second Test at Lord’s. Sunday’s success was a personal triumph for Root, still only 22-year-old and appearing in just his eighth Test.

The Yorkshire opener’s second innings 180 put England in a position of complete control. Asked if he’d been surprised by Root’s innings, which indicated a maturity beyond his years, Cook said: ‘To be honest, not with his batting. We’ve seen over his very short international career what an outstanding player he is. He’s got the right character. It’s a lot about technique but he has the right character to succeed at Test cricket.’ 

‘He adapts his game to whatever is required. In a high pressure situation to score a big hundred is huge credit to him,’ added Cook, the only England batsman to score 25 Test hundreds. ‘Seven overs, two for nine was a bit of a surprise,’ said Cook of Root’s Sunday bowling figures, adding: ‘But he keeps moaning when I take him off. He can be mighty proud of his performance in this game.’