Root facing ‘really good selection headache’

JOHANNESBURG: England captain Joe Root on Thursday was looking forward to the prospect of two of the world’s fastest bowlers operating on a pace-friendly pitch in the fourth and final Test against South Africa, starting at the Wanderers on Friday (today).

Root said Jofra Archer had bowled with “good pace” in practice on Wednesday after recovering from an elbow injury which kept him out of the second and third Tests — both of which England won to take an unbeatable 2-1 series lead to Johannesburg.

He said that if Archer had no lingering signs of injury or soreness, England would have a “really good selection headache”. Mark Wood startled several of the South African batsmen in the third Test in Port Elizabeth, bowling bouncers at around 150kmh.

Archer is also among the world’s small club of 150kmh bowlers. “It would be nice to see how they go together,” said Root. “I think they would be a relentless barrage of pace which is exciting, especially on a surface such as you typically get here at the Wanderers.”

But Root cautioned that history showed it was not always the fastest bowlers who prospered at the stadium. “The accurate guys are those who have success here. It would be great to have that firepower but ultimately we’ve got to make sure we hit those areas (on the pitch),” he added. “We’ve been very good in that department on this tour.”