Joe Root’s performance is clear for all to see (outside of Australia). Since the start of 2021 he has scored 10 centuries – some of them were massive hundreds, and mostly he was on his own for England. Everyone has gone mad over his recent hundred at Trent Bridge. It was a marvellous effort but for me, his hundred against India at Trent Bridge last year will live long in the memory. That was a solo effort when he single-handedly dragged England into a game they deserved to lose.
Despite how rubbish England were in 2021, Root’s innings at Trent Bridge against India was a great innings. Picture from Trent BridgeAnderson had a great year too, here in Sri Lanka where, when England picked him, he took wickets. Picture from Inews
As for James Anderson, he has taken 50 wickets in the same time period. It does not sound special, except that England regularly did not pick Jimmy in that period. The more you think about that, the crazier it seems. Looking at 2021, Anderson took 39 wickets at an average of 21.74. If you are still unconvinced, look at his bowling figures at Trent Bridge in the first innings – 3 wickets at 2.3 per over. All the other bowlers went at over 3.5 and nobody took as many wickets.
While Root’s impact is obvious, for Jimmy sometimes you need context. For example, look at the England Bowling figures from the first innings at Trent Bridge in 2022.
These guys are not machines. They are just very good cricket players. We need to savour every stroke Root plays and every ball Jimmy sends down.
My name is Edward Reece, I am 36 and have lived in Stockport, Cheshire for most of those years. I am a Christian, having been bought up in The Salvation Army.
In 2008 I was lucky enough to marry Amie, who I first set sight on back in 2001. I work for a software house, Trapeze Group UK Ltd, who develop software mainly used within the transport industry by large bus companies and local authorities.
In 2015 our daughter Charlotte Louise was stillborn, which has been our hardest challenge, but also a time when we have come to value friends, family and Church who have helped us get through the year. More about this can be found here on my there blog here.
Our 'rainbow' son, Henry Edward, was born on March 6th 2016, and Benjamin Oliver, was born on 23rd December 2019.
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Cricketed 