Root says new balls behind batsmen's struggles in England / Photo: © AFP
Root says new balls behind batsmen's struggles in England
Joe Root believes a new batch of Dukes balls are the reason why there have been few big scores in Test cricket in England this season.
Neither England nor Pakistan have managed an individual century in the first two Tests of an ongoing three-match series, where the hosts have established an unbeatable 2-0 lead.
Pakistan have yet to pass 200 as a team in four innings so far.
There have only been two totals above 400 all summer -- the first by New Zealand in their series-deciding win over England at Trent Bridge and the second by England in their innings and 103-run thrashing of Pakistan in the first Test at Headingley.
Bowlers have largely dominated with recalled England seamer Ollie Robinson taking 23 wickets in three Tests at a staggeringly low average of 8.34 following eight more scalps in a series-clinching 194-run win over Pakistan at Lord's.
"I think the balls have been very different this year," said England captain Root after watching his pacemen overpower Pakistan on Sunday to wrap up a convincing victory at Lord's.
"I think there's a different lacquer to them. I've not got evidence on that, I probably need to ask Dukes, but I think there's a lacquer on the seam. They don't want them to go out of shape and get them changed."
Root, England's all-time leading run-scorer in Test cricket, managed just 28 runs in two innings at Lord's and has now been lbw nine times in his past seven matches.
He believes the balls are also helping make pitches more bowler-friendly.
"They seem a lot firmer and probably if they're dinting the wickets then it's going to seam off the dints, it's going to make it move more."
He added: "Sometimes you do come across summers where you know it is the perfect storm. You get overcast conditions, you get a bit of rain to contend with, the balls are slightly different and it's hard. But that's part of the challenge of Test cricket."
L.Graham--TNT
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