Yorkshire cricket prospect has genuine chance of England place (From York Press)

Yorkshire cricket prospect Joe Root has genuine chance of England place

10:08am Wednesday 7th September 2011 in Yorkshire County Cricket Club By Graham Hardcastle

Michael Vaughan believes Yorkshire’s Joe Root is “not far off” playing for England.

The former White Rose batsman, also an Ashes-winning captain in 2005, is convinced the 20-year-old is on the right path thanks to an impressive breakthrough season in county cricket.

Root, like Vaughan he hails from Sheffield, has scored 874 runs from 14 LV= County Championship matches this term and 950 from 15 first-class matches following his debut for the England Lions against Sri Lanka ‘A’.

He is within striking distance of breaking the 1,000-run barrier for the season, more realistically in all first-class cricket, ahead of today’s final Championship match of the season against Somerset at Headingley.

And Vaughan, who also put York-based ace Jonny Bairstow in the same bracket, said: “All these guys who are there on the fringe of England, like the Bairstows and the Roots, have to keep doing the things they’ve done day in, day out.

“He’s (Root) not far off. Two years ago, Tim Bresnan wouldn’t have thought that he’d be in the England team as regularly as he is now.

“It’s hard for these kids to really understand that they could be just a year away from being an England regular. They’ve got to do the things they’ve done well all year, the basics and the disciplines.”

Both Vaughan and Root learned their trade at the Sheffield Collegiate club, where the latter still plays.

And Vaughan insists that Root’s willingness to return to league cricket will stand in him in good stead as he looks to continue his rapid rise.

He explained: “His game’s good, he’s very calm, he’s very controlled – and he’s definitely got the right character. He desperately wants to play and learn.

“He finished the game at Headingley recently (against Warwickshire) and immediately went and played for Sheffield Collegiate on the Saturday.

“After the Lions game at Scarborough, where he did well, he again went and played for Collegiate on the Saturday. He loves playing cricket, and you need that enthusiasm for the game.”

After scoring his maiden hundred against Sussex at Scarborough last month, Root made no secret of his admiration for Vaughan, describing him as a massive role-model.

And there have been a number of comparisons drawn between the pair’s respective games.

Vaughan said: “He bats in the top three, he bowls off-spin, he comes from the same club and he’s come through the Yorkshire Academy. I guess he’ll not be able to get away from them when you put it like that.

“All I know is he looks like a very good player. You can tell that because he looks like he’s got time.”

In the absence of Jacques Rudolph, Root will open the batting with Joe Sayers against Somerset. Rich Pyrah is fit again after a shoulder injury ruled him out of the Warwickshire match.

• Michael Vaughan was speaking on behalf of NatWest to promote grassroots cricket. For more details visit www.natwest.com/cricket