Former England captain Michael Atherton has emphasized the significance of Joe Root’s bowling abilities, highlighting that he shouldn’t be underestimated. As Australia requires 174 more runs to secure a victory in the opening match of the Ashes 2023 series at Edgbaston, Birmingham, Atherton expressed his thoughts to BBC Sport. He mentioned that England all-rounder Moeen Ali may not possess the accuracy of Australia’s spinner Nathan Lyon but is capable of spinning the ball just as impressively. Lyon managed to claim four wickets in England’s second innings, limiting them to a total of 273.
Michael Atherton stated, “You hope Moeen can bowl through the pain because we saw some serious turn for Lyon. He is not as accurate as Lyon, not as good a bowler, but he is as big a spinner of the ball as him.”
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Furthermore, Atherton emphasized the significance of Root’s bowling, noting that the England captain has amassed nearly 60 Test wickets. Although Root contributed significantly with an unbeaten century in the first innings and scored 46 runs in the second innings, he failed to pick up any wickets during Australia’s first innings.
“Don’t forget Root’s off-spin. He has nearly 60 Test wickets and is accurate. If the pitch does spin, he is not a bowler to ignore,” Michael Atherton added.
On Day 4, Australia dismissed England for 273 runs, with Pat Cummins and Nathan Lyon each claiming four wickets. Root, Harry Brooks, and Ben Stokes were the leading run-scorers for the hosts, contributing 46, 46, and 43 runs, respectively. Currently, the Baggy Greens need 281 runs to secure a victory in the Edgbaston Test and take a 1-0 lead in the five-match Ashes series against England.
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Heading into the final day, England holds a slight advantage after Stuart Broad dismissed the formidable duo of Steve Smith and Marnus Labuschagne. Australia finished Day 4 at 107 for 3, with opener Usman Khawaja and night watchman Scott Boland at the crease.
