Emotions got the better of former England captain Joe Root as he threw the ball in anger after grabbing a catch to dismiss Australia batter Travis Head (39) in the ongoing third Ashes 2023 Test match in Leeds. Not known for showcasing such extreme sentiment on a cricket field, Root had to be calmed down by his teammates, particularly captain Ben Stokes.
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It all happened on the third delivery of the 55th over when Head guided a Chris Woakes (3/73) delivery straight to Root at first slip. Perhaps wanting to play the ball between the slips and gully, the left-handed batter pretty much guided the ball off the face of the bat to Root.
Having already grabbed a simple catch to dismiss Marnus Labuschagne (21) in the morning session, Root was quite expressive after contributing in a dismissal for the second time on Day 1.
Here’s Why Joe Root Threw Ball In Anger After Grabbing A Catch To Dismiss Travis Head In Leeds Test
Having said that, in between completing catches to dismiss Labuschagne and Head, Root had dropped catches to hand reprieves to Australia all-rounder Mitchell Marsh (118) and wicket-keeper batter Alex Carey (8).
It was on the ninth delivery after the lunch break that Root had erred at first slip to provide a life to Marsh in his first Test in almost four years. With the latter accepting it with both hands to register a third Test century, Root’s anguish is understandable.
Had he not dropped a straightforward catch to dismiss Marsh when he was batting on just 12, England could have had a firm grip on the match by now considering how other Australian batters performed at Headingley on Thursday.
Root, who mostly comes across as more than just a safe fielder, was far below his standards on the field today. Even though Carey didn’t punish England like Marsh, Root dropping him on a ball before grabbing Head’s catch was a chief reason behind his exasperation.
It is worth mentioning that Root wasn’t the only English fielder who under-performed in the first innings. Been on the wrong end of fielding inaccuracies throughout the series, wicket-keeper Jonny Bairstow also dropped a couple of catches in the first session.
