Joe Root will have some input for the first Test with South Africa but the new captain will not be the only one finding it hard to name an able-bodied pacemanA captain is seldom more powerful in selection than before his first Test in charge. On Saturday morning Joe Root’s squad for the opening Test against South Africa, which starts at Lord’s on Thursday, will be revealed and it will surely have the imprint of the new leader. Related: Live cricket returns to BBC as part of deal for new Twenty20 tournament Continue reading...
The ECB did its best to make it seem there was doubt over who would replace Alastair Cook in a role that has markedly declined in visibility and power – not to mention good-chappery and chaosIt is not often that the England and Wales Cricket Board sets an example to the entire free world, but it might be said to have happened this week.Just when the entire planet is transfixed by the chaotic transition in Washington, up pops the ECB to announce that one pleasant, well-brought-up young man from a not-quite-front-rank public school will become England captain, replacing another slightly less young man fitting the same description.Forget the well-rehearsed, well-mannered acceptance speeches. English cricket is a soap opera or it...
Past bodes well for county’s 10th national leader, who can look back on a lineage of lords, knights and no little silverwareSo the three-day event that has been the deliverance of the new England captain finally came to a conclusion at sunny Headingley. Up stepped Joe Root in his collar, tie and blazer, two days after Andrew Strauss had confirmed the bleeding obvious, plenty of time for him to compose a manifesto.To the relief of his Yorkshire forebears his first aspiration had a familiar ring. “I’d like to be a captain that wins,” he said. Raymond Illingworth will be pleased by that. When he was in charge of the 1970–71 tour Illingworth was aghast and then furious after his manager...
The consensus is that England’s new Test leader has all the right qualities to make a success of it but it is important that he remains his own manThere is a broad consensus that Joe Root will be a good captain but there are no guarantees. There can be surprises – in both directions.Take Nasser Hussain. When Mike Atherton resigned in 1998 Hussain was a candidate to take over but the majority reckoned he was too (delete as appropriate) grumpy/hot-headed/introspective/selfish/unpopular for the job. Instead Alec Stewart was appointed for 15 months before Hussain was finally given the reins in 1999. Whereupon it soon became clear that Hussain was a sharp, intelligent captain on and off the field – though he...
Like Ian Botham and Andrew Flintoff the all-rounder craves to be taken seriously, but the decision to give him an official leading role may backfireIn 2017 at least the pundits and the pollsters have got something right. Joe Root is the new England captain, which is no more surprising than Stephen Fry hosting the Baftas or Huw Edwards delivering the news. At last there is an outcome that is reassuring and predictable.There are always some gloom-mongers out there (I may join them in a minute) pointing out that Root has seldom captained at first-class level – neither had Michael Vaughan or Nasser Hussain when they took on the England captaincy; that the country’s best batsman will be diminished by the...