Joe Root hoping to develop bowling role for England after Ireland success
Last Updated: 10/05/17 6:02am
Joe Root is hoping his bowling can become a consistent weapon in England's one-day arsenal as the summer progresses.
Root's occasional off-breaks yielded five wickets over the course of the 2-0 series win against Ireland, and he got through the full 10 overs for the first time in his one-day international career at Lord's.
Eoin Morgan relied on the Yorkshireman for his finger spin as Moeen Ali was left out of both games, and Root joked: "It's so much better than scoring runs!
"I can see why some of the bowlers get so excited at times because it's great fun. If I can play that role, I hope that gives us a bit more strength in other departments if need be.
"I wouldn't say I'm a 'born-again bowler', but it was nice to roll the arm over again. I suppose it's just if I'm required... and if someone doesn't get hold of me as well!
"It's been good to try a few different variations - change things up in terms of pace, arm height, release point.
"A few things that I tried worked - and I hope I can continue to develop those variations, as small as they might be, and still be effective.
"A big part of my bowling is the mental side of it, trying to work out the conditions, the batters, the risk-reward in what might work in terms of field placings - and see if they'll take a gamble against me."
Root is a certainty for this month's series against South Africa and the Champions Trophy, but the likelihood is he will miss three Twenty20 games against the tourists at the end of June.
The England and Wales Cricket Board is keen for England's Test players to feature in the first day-night County Championship games, with an inaugural pink-ball Test against West Indies to come later in the summer.
Root has "no intention" of quitting the short form at international level, though, and he said: "I feel I've still got a lot to offer in that department and I've got lots of ambitions to be a part of that side."
