Cricket: Joe Root’s form and leadership reassure but England top order still an issue

It is quite an achievement to beat South Africa for the first time in two decades in this country with what was to all intents a nine-man side. England were dependent on their old guard for victory while those seeking to establish a place in the side were unable to make telling contributions.

The combination of Liam Dawson, Gary Ballance and Dawid Malan mustered 138 runs in 12 innings in this series – though one should not discount Dawson’s five wickets. At the top of the order Keaton Jennings scored 127 runs in eight visits to the crease – and he was the beneficiary of several dropped catches.

Not that South Africa were without their passengers. Heino Kuhn (113 in eight knocks) could not quite match the output of Jennings and then there was the curious case of Vernon Philander. On the one hand he was publicly chastised by his captain, Faf du Plessis, for his lack of fitness; on the other he contrived to top both the batting and bowling averages for South Africa.

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It has not been an easy series for batsmen, which makes any criticism of Joe Root for his “conversion rate” all the more baffling. He hit 461 runs at an average of 57.62. Just about every other player on either side would have craved this problem of “conversion”. For all the superb performances of Moeen Ali and Jimmy Anderson, the most reassuring aspect for England has been Root’s ability to continue scoring runs when captain combined with the calm authority with which he has led the side. It will be trickier in the cauldron of Australia this winter but the early signs are that he can cope.

Sadly there were not many tight situations for Root to contemplate. One flaw of this series as a spectacle and a contest has been the one-sidedness of every Test match. Once the tide had turned, the batsmen of each side in the final innings of the game were all as hopelessly cornered as Canute. In part this was because the groundsmen in this country appear to have rediscovered the art of producing a pitch that deteriorates as time passes, which is how it should be. Forty-seven wickets fell to spinners through the series. There is also a reluctance among modern batsmen to grind.

The margin of England’s victory suggests Root should now have a settled side but this is far from the case. The selectors are meeting on Friday before the first Test against West Indies at Edgbaston on 17 August and their decisions will have a major influence on which players go on the Ashes tour this winter. At least two batting places – in the final XI, let alone the reserves – are up for grabs and there will be some juggling in the bowling department.

During the last day of the Old Trafford Test there was much curiosity about what was happening in county cricket because of the potential vacancies in the Test team. This has been one of those rare mid-season weeks when the Championship has intruded on the progress of the T20 Blast (get used to this; there will be two T20 tournaments to accommodate soon). Hence there was much flicking through websites. “Is Hameed still blocking? Is Hales still blasting? Has Stoneman taken guard yet? Whatever has happened to the likely lads? Gubbins? Duckett?” Perhaps the selectors were doing the same.

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When they meet they will surely decide Jennings should be omitted for England’s next Test. It would be an acknowledgment that they think there is no one out there any good if he is retained as Alastair Cook’s partner. It may be early to recall Haseeb Hameed after one score against Hampshire following such a dismal start to the season with Lancashire. But there may also be reservations about Surrey’s Mark Stoneman, whom they might already have picked this summer. The selectors will also be aware that anyone who scores runs against West Indies will inevitably have an entitlement to go to Australia.

If the opening slot is the major headache, there is still concern about who bats at No5 (on the assumption that it is not Jonny Bairstow). Malan has had four knocks and, in contrast to his T20 debut, he has looked burdened by the consequences of failure when taking guard in Test cricket. Once again there is the balancing act between the yearning to give a newcomer a fair go and finding the best team. There is a good case for exploring more options.

One of them is familiar. On Monday Alex Hales, batting at five for Nottinghamshire, suggested he was in the form of his life. He smashed a double century against Derbyshire, which inevitably prompts the caveat that batting in Division Two of the Championship is a world away from a Test match. Hales, the Test opener, did not work but might he be effective as a liberated middle-order man? To succeed he would have to keep faith with his aggressive instincts which is easier said than done under the constant scrutiny Test cricket creates. Meanwhile the next generation offers up the prospect of Worcestershire’s Joe Clarke.

The options are less stressful among the bowlers. Toby Roland-Jones has impressed but Chris Woakes is now back in action to good effect and the selectors would like him to play some Test cricket before the winter. There is scope for some rotation in this department even though neither Stuart Broad nor Jimmy Anderson will welcome an invitation to have a break. In the 21st century the advent of West Indies often means the possibility of a little flurry of Test wickets.