Joe Root has defended his England side, insisting that simple human mistakes – not a lack of preparation – were responsible for a series of dropped catches during a tough day in the field against Australia. Travis Head, Alex Carey (twice), Josh Inglis and Michael Neser all survived dropped chances as Australia closed day two of the second Test on 378 for six, holding a 44-run lead.
“We prepared as hard as possible for this match. We had five full days of training and put in a huge amount of catching practice,” Root said. “We made sure we used both of our floodlit training sessions properly. But you can’t fully reproduce the surface, the bounce, or the way edges carry. It’s never going to be identical, never going to be perfect. All you can do is give yourself the best chance, and I believe we did that.”
Root added: “In the days leading up to this Test, we adapted to the conditions, the heat, and the pitch. We caught under lights, in daylight, even during twilight. Sometimes the ball just doesn’t stick. We aren’t flawless – we’re human, and mistakes happen. What matters is how we react. Tomorrow we need to show up with the right mindset, the right intent, and the belief that our best cricket is good enough to produce something special in this England vs Australia battle.”
Jake Weatherald, who struck 72 for his maiden Test half-century, offered sympathy for England’s fielders, saying that spotting the pink ball at the Gabba was “on another level hard”. “We were fortunate not to receive as many square-of-the-wicket catches as England,” he said. “It’s really tough. Last week in Perth, even with the red ball, it was difficult because of the crowds. This week is even harder, especially square of the wicket. I genuinely feel for them. When the ball is hit hard and there’s dew on the pitch, it comes at you fast and the visibility is poor.”
Root also insisted that England remain “nowhere near out of the contest … actually not too far behind if we start well early tomorrow”. Their position was helped significantly by Root finishing England’s innings unbeaten on 138, finally achieving his first Test century on Australian soil.
“I’ve said before, this tour isn’t about me, and it’s not about me finally scoring a hundred in Australia,” he said. “My role is simply to score as many runs as possible. As a senior batter, that’s the expectation I set for myself, and I’ll approach every innings with the same mindset.”
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