Root family at home at cricket's HQ

Joe Root has made prodigious progress as English cricket's brightest young thing - but he is still lagging behind the rest of his family in one important respect.

The 22-year-old Yorkshireman is hoping to put that right too next week, when he becomes the third Root in a matter of days to play at Lord's.

The England Lions captain is an obvious choice to help man the middle order in the first Test against New Zealand at HQ, after his prolific early-season run-making for his county - not to mention a winter in which he made his international debut in all three formats.

When it comes to taking the field at Lord's, though - unless you count a short stint as 12th man for Yorkshire - Root's dad Matt and younger brother Billy have both got there before him.

Just last week on the hallowed turf, the other Roots turned out on opposing sides for the MCC and MCC Young Cricketers.

They took centre stage too, although not for long in Root senior's case before - according to his eldest son - he was out cheaply, before his youngest had a chance to bowl at him.

As for the Lions captain, preparing at Leicester for a four-day match starting against the Kiwis tomorrow, he has been restricted so far to a bit-part or spectator role.

Advice may be forthcoming then from within the family about how to handle the big stage.

In his more imminent, and unaccustomed, role as Lions captain Root may seek counsel today from just slightly less close to home before he tosses up at Grace Road.

Former England captain Michael Vaughan famously hails from the same club as Root, the Yorkshire League's Sheffield Collegiate, and is always available should the protege want any tips.

He may be wise to expect the phone to ring tonight.

Root's eventful and much-travelled winter was a sharp upward curve - including a half-century on debut in the series-clinching Test at Nagpur and an impressive run of one-day international scores both in India and then New Zealand.

He was nonetheless chastened by his and England's relative struggles in three Tests against the Kiwis.