Ashes 2015: Joe Root must stay at five for England, says Michael Vaughan
Vaughan also talks Cook, Watson and post-match drinks…
Tuesday 28 July 2015 14:53, UK
Joe Root must stay at number five in the England batting-order, says former Yorkshire and England captain Michael Vaughan.
Vaughan – speaking at a Toyota-sponsored racing challenge – says Root is flourishing at five and sees no reason why he should be moved.
Vaughan also gave his thoughts on England captain Alastair Cook, Australia’s out-of-form Shane Watson, and the absence of post-match drinks after the first Investec Ashes Test...
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ON ROOT
“Steve Waugh batted at five all of his career, Adam Gilchrist batted at seven all his career, they didn’t move.
“So maybe Joe has just found his position and why not look to find other threes and fours? He has averaged near on 90 since being moved there, so why would you want to move him?
“At five he is able to manage his game, and doesn’t have to face the brand new ball. His technique has been proven to suit that position lower down the order.
“He has got pretty much everything you need in a middle-order player. He can attack, has a good defence, plays the pace bowlers well, and spin nicely. He also has a great energy and attitude towards the game, so I think his form will continue for a while.
“He will believe that every time he goes out to the middle, he is going to get a hundred. That doesn’t last forever, so he has got to make the most of it.”
ON COOK
“I think that was Cook’s most confident game as captain I’ve seen, because he followed his gut, used his imagination, went with the flow of the game. Pretty much every decision he made, worked for him.
“I have always admired him as a leader. His leadership qualities have always been there but tactically he has got better and better.
“It’s a certainly a job you improve at. I don’t know what he’ll be thinking come the end of the Ashes, but I see a captain who is enjoying being out there at the moment. Captains that take it too seriously, and think too much about their decisions, are the ones who kind of get it wrong, in my opinion.
“Cook has to back it up at Lord’s. There will be tougher times ahead, like if Australia bat first. That’s when you’re challenged as a captain, with the pitch at its best and without the scoreboard pressure to help.”
ON WATSON
“Whether it is down to stubbornness, only he knows, but he just can’t get out of the lbw habit. It has been happening for 10 years and it is a massive crack in the Australian team.
“They could go one of two ways – they either drop him and bring in Mitchell Marsh – or they could make a slight tweak to their batting line-up, which could improve them anyway, moving Watson to number three.
"Australia could move Watson to number three, exposes him to the new ball and tell him to go out and play like he does in one-day cricket."
“That exposes him to the new ball but you tell him to go out and play like he does in one-day cricket. Then move everyone else down one place in the order. That looks a better team to me.”
ON POST-MATCH DRINKS
“It’s all nonsense. I don’t remember ever having a drink with the Australians after a first Test. Who cares? It’s irrelevant to an Ashes series.
"What happens in the middle is all that matters. England produced a near perfect performance, are 1-0 up in the series, and played better than Australia.”
ON SECOND TEST
“Within the first day, I think we’re going to find out exactly where we are sat in this series. You can’t win an Ashes series after one game, but you can certainly go a long way to winning it after two.
“If you look at the last few series, the team that does well in the second game, generally goes on to win the Ashes. Whether that is the team that comes back from 1-0 down and gains the momentum, or one that goes 2-0 up with just three to play. Whoever wins this one will have a massive advantage.
“This Test match is the most important Test match of the Ashes series. It’s a huge week.”
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