Disaster has given Root new stance at crease

Sheffield-born opener Root spent the off-season at the Darren Lehmann Cricket Academy in Adelaide – an experience he admits gave him “tons of confidence and desire to kick on in the game”.

Root’s six-month stint Down Under coincided with the devastating floods in Queensland, which claimed 35 lives and affected hundreds of thousands of households.

“It’s something you never really want to experience, and be a part of,” the 20-year-old told the Yorkshire Post.

“Obviously, going through something like that makes you realise just how lucky you are, and to respect everything and appreciate every opportunity you get.

“Luckily for me, I was in Adelaide, which stayed dry for the majority of the time.

“But I do really feel for the families that were affected by the floods, and I wish them the speediest of recoveries back to their normal lives as soon as possible.”

Root continued his progress on Yorkshire’s pre-season tour of Barbados, demonstrating his potential in the one-day game with a 40-ball 51 against Hampshire in a Twenty20 competition and earning a place in the county’s first championship game.

Senior professionals Richard Pyrah, Ryan Sidebottom and captain Andrew Gale have all praised the young opener and Root said: “Barbados was designed to get us in the best possible shape for the season, and I was really pleased with how it went.

“It’s always good to experience some different conditions, as I did in Australia, and it can only be beneficial to my game. Everyone got really stuck into some hard work out there.

“Pre-season is so important – the success of last year speaks for itself really, and, hopefully, it will set Yorkshire up for a successful season.”

Such optimism is not without foundation, as Gale’s young squad defied the odds last term in finishing third in the LV County Championship and reaching the semi-finals of the Clydesdale Bank 40 competition.

“This Yorkshire squad has the potential to do great things,” claims Root.

“But it is a young squad, and we don’t want to get too far ahead of ourselves. At the minute, we’re just keeping small goals in our mind, which will, hopefully, lead to big success.

“We certainly want to build and continue the great work we did last year, but every day sets a new challenge and we have to be smart and switched on when it comes to facing them.”

If Yorkshire are to build on their success of last season, however, they must do so without the formidable presence of Jacques Rudolph.

Their former Kolpak star left Headingley at the end of last season, having scored 1,375 County Championship runs in 2010 and 8629 in total during his four-year spell.

Rudolph’s departure means there is an opening in the top order for such as Root. He missed his first opportunity at No 3 when he fell for a duck in the first innings of the Championship opener at Worcester before an unbeaten 21 in an unbroken 40-run stand with Adam Lyth led Yorkshire to a nine-wicket victory with a day to spare.

Root will now be hoping to get another chance in Yorkshire’s first home game of the campaign tomorrow against Durham, who are expected to present a far stiffer test of credentials than promoted Worcestershire.

Looking ahead, Root says: “Rudolph is a fantastic man, player and character, and everyone at the club will miss him but his departure has given others great opportunities to put themselves in the frame.

“Like every other young player in the country, I want to play as much first-class cricket as possible. And the only way I am going to do that is by putting in the performances, and working hard with a good attitude towards the game.

“Selection is completely out of my hands and coach Martyn Moxon has to pick the team that he thinks will bring him results.

“If that includes me, then great.

“But if not, I just have to keep scoring runs and taking every opportunity I get.”

* Stuart Broad has targeted a comeback for Notts in their home County Championship match against Yorkshire on May 4 as he bids to make England’s first Test squad to face Sri Lanka.

The Nottinghamshire all-rounder, who has signed a new three-year deal with the county champions, endured a deeply frustrating winter due to two side injuries.