West Indies vs England ODI series: Joe Root wants big performances in final two matches of series
It is currently tied 1-1 after the third game was abandoned without a ball bowled
Joe Root wants to see two big performances from England to close out the one-day international series with the West Indies.
The five match series is still tied 1-1 after Monday’s match was abandoned without a ball being bowled.
These last two games are important in terms of winning the series and also leading up to the World Cup in the summer.
Root himself has started the series well having scored a century in the first game and 36 in the second.
“There are two massive games now and it would be brilliant to finish with two brilliant performances,” Root told talkSPORT.
“Obviously pleased to keep scoring runs and more than anything I like to think I’ve got more to come.
“It’s nice to feel like I’m in great touch. I look back a month ago and runs were hard to come by.
“It’s amazing how things change and if you stay very level and trust all the things you are working on behind the scenes then things can quickly turn around.
“It’s really pleasing to have started the series well and hopefully we can take things forward to the remainder of it.”
“We have to understand that when you do get in, as a number of guys got starts, you have to go and kill that game off.
“If we are being brutally honest we are a better side than that.
“We have to take that responsibility forward, like we did in the first game. We are continuing learning and will keep improving.
“With a major tournament around the corner, it is a major kick up the bottom.
“As long as we take it on board and make sure it doesn’t happen in the future then we will be better for it.”
Root is not known for being the biggest hitter in the side, he scored no sixes in his century in the first game, but is more than happy to give the strike to those who are.
“The way that we set up as a team, I try and compliment the guys that I bat around and try and give them as much strike as possible at times when they are going well.
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“Hopefully they enjoy that side of things too. It feels like they get the best out of me and hopefully I get the best out of them.
“When you’ve got guys like Jason (Roy), Morgs (Eoin Morgan), Jonny (Bairstow), Jos (Buttler), they just keep coming and put bowlers under pressure all the time. It allows me to rotate the strike and continue to put pressure on.”
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