Cricket
1News

England captain Joe Root injures own teammate in warm-up football

January 3, 2020

England Test captain Joe Root has some serious explaining to do after hurting his own teammate during a warm-up game of football in preparation for his side's second Test against South Africa.

As England took part in a morning kickabout in Cape Town, Root got a tad carried away, inflicting ligament damage to the ankle of opening batsman Rory Burns.

Speaking at lunch on day one of the Black Caps' third Test with Australia, former England captain Michael Vaughan lamented the injury, the side's third football-related casualty in 18 months.

"The skipper Joe Root just managed to knock his ankle," Vaughan said.

"England play football for 30 minutes a day, they love it. But as you see there, Rory Burns sits down, he goes for a scan, and he's out of the Test series.

"He's going to miss three [remaining] Tests against South Africa, he's going to miss the whole series because of a football injury.

They've had three footballing injuries in 18 months.

"The days now of England players thinking they're going to get a Premier League football contract have gone. They ain't going to get signed by Liverpool, Man City, Man United.

"It's bonkers."

Burns will miss the rest of the tour, with England currently 1-0 down in the four-Test series.

SHARE ME

More Stories