Promotion of Root to Test arena could be perfect timing – Moxon

Root, 21, is a strong contender to plug the gap left by Strauss’s retirement as player and captain.

“The great thing about Joe is that he’s a quick learner,” said Moxon, who has overseen Root’s rise in his capacity as Yorkshire’s director of cricket.

“Whatever level he’s played at, Joe has adjusted quickly, and I would have no qualms about him playing in the Test team.

“Joe is relatively inexperienced, of course, and he’s not played a whole lot of first-class cricket.

“However, his ability to pick things up fast, allied to his obvious ability as a batsman, convinces me he could do a good job.”

England, who today face South Africa in the third one-day international at the Oval, face a tricky decision over whom to select as new captain Alastair Cook’s opening partner.

Root is the most obvious candidate of the younger brigade, while the likes of Hampshire’s Michael Carberry and Somerset’s Nick Compton have been mentioned in dispatches, as has a move up the order for Jonathan Trott.

“If England go for Joe then my hope would be that they give him an extended run,” said Moxon.

“I don’t think anyone should be expecting him to get a double hundred first game; I think it is a role he would grow into.

“Hopefully, Joe would be successful from the outset, but he needs to be given time.

“The selectors have been very good these last few years in identifying people they think are of the right quality and who have the right attributes, and then backing those players to perform.”

Strauss’s departure, allied to the ongoing uncertainty surrounding Kevin Pietersen, means England could field a much-changed line-up for the four-Test series against India starting in November.

Such has been the recent upheaval that Root’s county colleague Jonny Bairstow, having feared he had blown his first opportunity at Test level, now finds himself as something of a shoe-in having battled back with a splendid individual performance against South Africa at Lord’s.

“Initially it’s going to be about developing the team like it was a couple of years ago when Strauss took charge,” added Moxon.

“The development of the England team pretty much started back then and steadily evolved – now it has to evolve once more.

“England might have to take a few hits in the short-term with a view to achieving long-term success, but there is time for a new team to bed-in before we take on the Aussies next year.

“The next few months could be about building for the future.”

Whoever is selected to partner Cook, and regardless of the outcome of the Pietersen saga, with the batsman having lost his place amid allegations he sent derogatory text messages about Strauss to South African players, Moxon said it was important that England draw a line in the sand.

“The important thing now is to move forward with optimism,” he said.

“It’s not about starting again as such, but there are fresh faces around and a bit of fresh blood.

“It’s amazing how things have changed from a few months ago when everything was great and everything in the garden was rosy if you like, with the team No 1 in the world and everything ticking along nicely.

“But with a new captain on board, it’s a great time to start afresh and move forward with confidence.”

Moxon was speaking at Scarborough yesterday after the third day of the County Championship match against Gloucestershire fell foul of the weather – the second successive washed-out day at North Marine Road.

Play was abandoned at 1.15pm by umpires David Millns and Steve O’Shaughnessy after several hours’ steady rain.

Yorkshire, 61-2 in reply to Gloucestershire’s 215, must now decide whether to attempt to contrive a finish or settle for the acquisition of bonus points.

A draw with maximum batting points would leave them only two points behind second-placed Hampshire with two games left, while Gloucestershire may be wary of dangling too tempting a carrot after Yorkshire comfortably chased down 400 at Bristol in May.

Yesterday was the 13th blank day Yorkshire have suffered in the Championship this season.

It took their total lost playing time in the tournament to 8,561 minutes, the equivalent of almost 24 days out of 55.

Moxon also confirmed Yorkshire will not have Tim Bresnan available for their Twenty20 Champions League programme in South Africa in October.

However, they hope Bairstow will be at their disposal.

“Brez won’t be available, which is just England looking after his workload,” said Moxon.

“Jonny’s not a bowler and a bit younger than Brez, so he will be available.

“The Twenty20 World Cup final in Sri Lanka takes place on October 7 and we play our first Champions League qualifying game on October 9.

“If England are in the World Cup final and Jonny’s involved, that’s obviously tight, so we’ll have to monitor the situation as it develops.”

Yorkshire must name their 15-man squad by September 10 and are confident overseas star David Miller will be released to take part by his South African franchise Dolphins.

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