England v Pakistan: Victory cannot be used to 'paper over cracks' - Joe Root
- Published
- comments
Pint-sized TMS: England beat Pakistan by an innings and 55 runs
England's emphatic victory over Pakistan in the second Test cannot be used to "paper over cracks", says captain Joe Root.
The hosts wrapped up an innings and 55-run win inside three days at Headingley to draw the two-match series 1-1.
The win came a week after England's nine-wicket defeat at Lord's in the first home Test of the summer.
"This was a chance to show how good and skilful we are in our own conditions," Root told Test Match Special.
"We've got to show how good we are as a side moving forward."
The win ended England's run of eight Tests without a win, but they do not play another Test until the series against India begins in August.
"We can't just use this to paper over cracks, we've got a lot of hard work ahead," said 27-year-old Root.
"We have to learn to harness the way we've gone about things on the field, learn the lessons that we did as quickly as we have done this week, and adapt the way we have.
"If we can do that, you will see more consistency in this group."
'It's up to individuals to keep improving'
Jos Buttler 'wallops' huge six off Faheem Ashraf
Coach Trevor Bayliss said the team had "a very honest discussion in the changing room" following the defeat at Lord's.
"We've seen this before - we've played badly in the past and it's really focused the guys for the next game," the Australian told TMS.
"The trick is to get them focused and with that much energy for every game."
England put in a better performance with bat and ball at Headingley, with spinner Dom Bess and batsman Jos Buttler impressing.
Somerset's Bess took his maiden Test wicket in Pakistan's second innings, finishing with 3-33, while Buttler top-scored with an unbeaten 80.
Buttler earned a surprise recall to the Test team after a good showing in the Indian Premier League, and scored half-centuries in both Tests.
England v Pakistan: James Anderson takes early Azhar Ali wicket
Bess, meanwhile, replaced county team-mate Jack Leach in the Test squad after Leach broke the thumb on his bowling hand.
"The opportunity these two weeks has been phenomenal, just to know I can play at this level and do well," Bess, 20, said.
"We've been put under the pump quite a bit after last week but here we showed what we are about."
Root said that Bess, who made 49 as nightwatchman following on from his half-century at Lord's, "wanted to be involved".
"Bayliss told me Bess had his pads on for 45 minutes, ready to go in as nightwatchman. You want people like that in the team," he added.
"We don't have a Test for a while but it's very important we continue to put that work in outside of being together as a group.
"It's up to individuals to keep improving and I'm going to make that very clear to everyone when they head off."
England next play Scotland in a one-day international in Edinburgh on 10 June. They then play more white-ball cricket against Australia and India.
- Published4 June 2018
- Published3 June 2018
