A nightmare start for the world’s No 1-ranked batsman. Infamously, none of his 39 Test hundreds have come in Australia, and one of his 10 opportunities on this tour has passed him by, too. Root looked nervous, and endured an anxiety-inducing moment when Boland thought he had run him out backing up when Ollie Pope pinged back a perfect straight drive. Root, fortunately, had made his ground.
But at the other end he was becoming frustrated, trying to find a single to get off strike. Eventually he was opened up by Starc. Root was attempting to turn a straight ball into the leg side for one, but Starc just moved the ball enough, Root, in a tangle, edged to third slip. Being caught in the cordon has often been Root’s downfall in Australia, where the ball bounces more than he likes, although this was subtly different. On the last tour, 2021/22, he was caught behind or in the cordon in his first eight innings.
Verdict: Guilty
20 overs: 94-4
Pope lbw b Green 46 (58)
