Joe Root defends England’s ethos after crushing second Test defeat

Joe Root defended the culture and ethos of the England team after sliding to defeat in the second Test against the West Indies, insisting that individuals were responsible for their own performances.

England’s crushing 10-wicket loss saw them go 2-0 down with one match to play, but Root insisted that an England team who had won eight of their previous nine Tests had not become a bad side overnight.

“We have been outplayed, outperformed,” he admitted. “We have to learn some lessons. They played better than us, exploited the surfaces, and we haven’t scored enough runs. There’s been some high-skilled bowling in friendly conditions, and in the big moments we haven’t managed as well as they have.

“It’s very easy to sum us up and say we’re a bad side after two games, having played so well for a period. We are a tight group of players that have gone through some really good times of late. We will have to keep remembering that, and make sure when it is our day, we make it count as we have done in the last year or so.”

England’s surrender on Saturday – bowled out in 42 overs amid a flurry of attacking shots on a difficult pitch – lay in stark contrast to the West Indies’ diligent accumulation on Thursday and Friday, batting 131 overs for their total of 306. Darren Bravo scored the slowest fifty Test cricket has seen for two decades – almost six hours long.

And while Root hinted at a change of approach in future, he relinquished any responsibility on his own part for the way England’s batsmen got out.

“The choice comes down to the individual,” he insisted. “I can’t bat for 11 guys. Neither can Trevor [Bayliss, coach] or Ramps [Mark Ramprakash, batting coach]. The responsibility is down to the individual.

“There were a couple of disappointing dismissals that guys will have to look at individually, so we maybe go about things slightly differently in future. But on a surface like that, you have to commit to whatever decision you make. As a side we tried to absorb pressure, but when we went to hit boundaries they gave it everything. Having that balance is important.”

West Indies captain Jason Holder said he hoped this series win could inspire a rise up the world rankings. They will remain No 8 in the world even if they complete a 3-0 clean sweep in St Lucia next Saturday, and Holder said the key was maintaining consistency. “That has plagued West Indies cricket in the last 10 years, he said.

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“We still want to win the series 3-0. Points are up for grabs in the rankings. It’s not a time to become complacent or relax.”

Holder dedicated the win to the mother of fast bowler Alzarri Joseph, who died overnight. Joseph took the field despite his bereavement, and claimed figures of 2-12.

“It took a lot of heart to be on the field today,” he said. “A lot of people wouldn’t have been able to. I felt it personally this morning when I got the news. To see him in tears this morning was even harder. When we came together in the huddle, we just wanted to do it for him.”