Joe Root is hurt after getting hit without wearing a box in England’s warm-up on day four of the second Ashes Test… with the captain heading to hospital for a scan before returning to the field against Australia
- Joe Root was off the field for 78 minutes at the start of day four on Sunday
- When the England captain finally returned, he wasn’t moving very freely
- Ollie Robinson bowled offspin for England in the absence of Root
England’s Ashes look took another bad turn on Sunday when they took to the field without captain Joe Root on the fourth day of the second Test after he was struck by a ball in a throwdown in the warm-up.
It is understood Root wasn’t wearing a box when he was hit by a throwdown from spin-bowling coach Jeetan Patel that had nipped off the seam.
Root went to hospital for a scan before returning to the field of play 78 minutes after the start. He looked sore and stiff, and moved gingerly in the field.
Joe Root got his without wearing a box in the warm-up and England took to the field without him on the fourth day of the second Ashes Test against Australia
Root looked sore and stiff when he returned to the field following a 78-minute absence
In his absence, Ollie Robinson was bowling offspin as Root can’t bowl until approximately 5.50pm local time. Root was off the field for about 78 minutes.
Ben Stokes inherited the captaincy on the fourth day and England made a strong start to the day.
Stuart Broad and James Anderson combined to remove overnight batsmen Michael Neser and Marcus Harris.
Jos Buttler then dropped Steve Smith on a golden duck off the bowling of Broad but the Australia captain failed to make England pay. He gloved a ball behind off Ollie Robinson on six runs.
Marnus Labuschagne and Travis Head turned the tide in the second hour and Australia headed into the break with a commanding lead of 371.