Joe Root on Sunday said that he has “still got a lot to give” after yet another record-breaking display in his celebrated career guided England to a one-day series win over the West Indies.
England’s pursuit of 309 in Cardiff was in dire straits at 2-2, with the hosts in fresh trouble at 133-5, but Root’s one-day international best of 166 not out off 139 balls sealed a three-wicket win and an unassailable 2-0 lead with one to play at The Oval in London today.
His innings at Sophia Gardens also saw star batsman Root become England’s highest run-scorer in one-day internationals, surpassing retired World Cup-winning captain Eoin Morgan’s tally of 6,957.
Photo: Reuters
“It’s a sign you’re getting old, having played as many games as that,” said the smiling 34-year-old after becoming the first England batsman to go past 7,000 one-day international runs.
Root, also England’s record Test run-scorer and the top-ranked batsman in that format, was adamant he remained as run-hungry as ever.
“I want to give as much as I can for England for as long as I can,” Root said. “I’ve still got a lot to give and a lot more runs in there, and hopefully, an innings like that shows that.”
“Until that desire, that want to get better every day, want to add to the group and want to be not out at the end of a chase like that, when that’s not a burning desire any more, it will be time to stop,” he said. “It doesn’t feel like that’s anywhere near the case at the moment, and I’ll keep just trying to do my part in helping us win games and series down the line.”
Harry Brook has overseen England’s first one-day series triumph since September 2023 after taking over as white-ball captain from Jos Buttler, who rarely had a full-strength squad to choose from during his time as skipper.
“I’ve played a huge amount of cricket with Jos and almost felt guilty that I wasn’t able to be there for him throughout a lot of his tenure,” said Root, who played just 19 one-day matches between England’s 2019 World Cup triumph and their woeful 2023 title defense as priority was given to the Test side. “I want to play as much as I can for England. If I’m going to make the team better, then absolutely.”
The West Indies, capitalizing on some slack England fielding, were all set for a huge total at 170-2 after 30 overs, with Keacy Carty making a fine century, but they were held to 308 all out off 47.4 overs, with leg-spinner Adil Rashid taking four wickets and fast bowler Saqib Mahmood three.
Root, while saying Brook is an “idiot” beyond the boundary, praised his fellow Yorkshireman’s tactical nous on the field after England won with seven balls to spare.
“As much as he’s an idiot away from cricket — and I can say that because I’ve known him forever — he’s very cricket intelligent,” Root said. “He understands the game exceptionally well.”
Tainan TSG Hawks slugger Steven Moya, who is leading the CPBL in home runs, has withdrawn from this weekend’s All-Star Game after the unexpected death of his wife. Moya’s wife began feeling severely unwell aboard a plane that landed at Taiwan Taoyuan International Airport on Friday evening. She was rushed to a hospital, but passed away, the Hawks said in a statement yesterday. The franchise is assisting Moya with funeral arrangements and hopes fans who were looking forward to seeing him at the All-Star Game can understand his decision to withdraw. According to Landseed Medical Clinic, whose staff attempted to save Moya’s wife,
The Tampa Bay Rays on Tuesday acquired Taiwanese-American outfielder Stuart Fairchild from the Atlanta Braves for cash considerations to fill the roster after All-Star second baseman Brandon Lowe was placed back on the injured list. Fairchild was designated for assignment by the Braves on Monday after hitting .216/.273/.333 in 28 games for Atlanta, with most of his work coming as a pinch runner or defensive replacement. He joins Tampa Bay as a versatile fourth outfielder option. To make room for Fairchild on the 40-man roster, the Rays transferred relief pitcher Manuel Rodriguez (forearm strain) from the 15-day injured list to the 60-day
Ukrainian coal miner Andrii’s face lit up when he talked about meeting Oleksandr Usyk. “Wow,” the 36-year-old said in English. Andrii and more than a dozen other war veterans were on hand when Usyk beat Daniel Dubois at Wembley Stadium on Saturday night to become the undisputed world heavyweight champion. It was a rematch of their 2023 bout that Andrii viewed under vastly different circumstances. “I watched this fight on the front line on my phone,” he said through an interpreter during a stop on Friday at the Ukrainian Embassy in London. “We were watching very quietly, but when he won there was loud
PENALTY MISS: ‘We practiced penalties,’ Spain coach Montse Tome said, while both her team’s spot-kicks were saved by Switzerland’s goalkeeper Livia Peng Spain ended Switzerland’s dreamy midsummer run through its home Women’s European Championship in a 2-0 win in the quarter-finals on Friday despite missing two penalty kicks. Swiss resistance was broken by the world champion’s two goals in a five-minute spell midway through the second half. Athenea Del Castillo slotted in a shot from Aitana Bonmati’s flicked assist in the 66th, just four minutes after coming off the bench, and Claudia Pina curled a shot from the edge of the penalty area in the 71st. Spain are to play France or Germany in the semi-finals in Zurich on Wednesday. The winner would face defending