England defeated by an innings and 12 runs by South Africa in opening Test of three-match series at Lord’s last week; Watch the second Test at Emirates Old Trafford, live on Sky Sports from Thursday (10am on air, 11am first ball)
Last Updated: 24/08/22 11:29pm
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Joe Root explains to Michael Atherton how he looks to deal with facing the world’s fastest bowlers after England came up against the ferocious Anrich Nortje at Lord’s
Joe Root explains to Michael Atherton how he looks to deal with facing the world’s fastest bowlers after England came up against the ferocious Anrich Nortje at Lord’s
Joe Root insists England won’t change their approach for the second LV= Insurance Test against South Africa at Emirates Old Trafford, despite the hosts slipping to a heavy defeat at Lord’s last week.
England’s batters lasted a combined 82.4 overs in the innings-and-12-run loss, bowled out for 165 in their first innings before crumbling to 149 all out in their second.
The loss was England’s first since Ben Stokes took over from Root as Test captain and Brendon McCullum arrived as head coach, with the team having swept to a 3-0 series win over New Zealand before then beating India in the rearranged fifth Test from their 2021 series.
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“We just didn’t execute as well as we could have – across the board really,” Root told Sky Sports when reflecting on the team’s first defeat of the summer.
“Credit has to go to South Africa. They took full advantage of the conditions that were presented to them and they outplayed us.
“You’ve got to take that on the chin. But I don’t think it changes anything in the way that we approach this week.
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Highlights from day three of the first Test between England and South Africa at Lord’s as the visitors romped to an innings win
“I think we’ve come a very long way in a short space of time as a Test team. From where we were at the start of this year, to the way we played in the first four Test matches of the summer, it’s a massive stride forward.
“It’s really important that we continue that good work, the changes that we’ve made in terms of our mindset.
“We’ve got to really hammer that home this week when the opportunity arises.”
Root added: “We all know where we need to improve. It’s about going out there and managing those certain situations as best we can.
“Similarly, we have to keep looking for opportunities to put them back under pressure.”
‘England won’t take backward steps’
Stokes echoed Root’s sentiments when speaking to the press ahead of the second Test of the three-match series, saying: “The address after the game was, ‘look, lads, you have obviously not performed anywhere near the capabilities we want to and we know we can, but it’s not something that we are going to take backward steps from’.
“South Africa were better than us in that Test, that’s fine, that’s sport. Sport is set up for someone to be a winner and someone to be a loser. We are focussing on this game and the next and want to win the series 2-1.”
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Stokes confirmed that England have recalled Ollie Robinson in place of fellow seamer Matthew Potts for the second Test at Emirates Old Trafford, while South Africa are expected to go into the game with the same four-pronged pace attack that fared so well in victory at Lord’s.
Labelled the ‘fab four’, Kagiso Rabada got himself on the Lord’s honours board with five wickets in the first innings, Anrich Nortje bowled with searing pace, touching up towards 95mph, the 6 ft 7 Marco Jansen provided left-arm angle to go with his towering frame and Lungi Ngidi deserved greater reward than his solitary wicket of Root in the second innings.
“It’s a very good attack,” Root said. “They’ve got pace, variety, different angles and guys offering different skills.
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“But, again, that gives you different scoring opportunities. And it’s really important as a batting group that you look at that – look at where you can try and dissect them and pick them apart.
“Of course they’ll be full of confidence coming into this week, they should be after the way they played [at Lord’s].
“But, again, I think it’s really important we come into this game looking for every opportunity we can to score in a controlled manner and really look to put them back under pressure.”
Watch day one of the second LV= Insurance Test between England and South Africa, from Emirates Old Trafford, live on Sky Sports The Hundred from Thursday. Build-up starts at 10am ahead of the first ball at 11am.