JOE ROOT has been feasting on Mark Woods personality by having him as his regular dinner guest.
The England skipper heard some corny jokes and non-stop chatter of a Geordie lad who rarely stops talking.
But, most of all, Root found out how much Wood loves playing for his country and terrorising batsmen with 90mph deliveries.
Cricketers are a superstitious lot so once Wood, 30, took a first innings five-for after eating room service in Roots hotel suite, they repeated the recipe.
It worked, too, as the Durham ace took four more wickets yesterday making nine in the match as England completed a crushing 191-run victory in the Fourth Test and with it a 3-1 series triumph.
Wood is a shining beacon of the spirit of Roots emerging Test team.
He has known years of injury misery, frequently doubting he would play for England again, but refused to give up.
There are no more popular cricketers than Wood and his Player of the Match performance here in Johannesburg sparked genuine delight to the dressing room.
When asked what Wood brings to the team, Root replied: Hes brought me a big room bill this week because he got five-for after having a meal in my room. So weve done it for the rest of the game.
Hes been a good boy hes been eating spag bol most nights, a few carbs.
Wood added: And maybe the odd burger! Wheres the nutritionist? Rooty pays, captains wages.
Root added: On a serious note, hes been great for our dressing room. Hes always full of energy when youre looking for someone to pick up the group.
Hes normally the man to say the right thing or tell the wrong joke or whatever gets us in the right space to deliver.
So its great hes back playing, enjoying his cricket, with a smile on his face and hitting a few sixes as well…which weve heard plenty about.
Im sure you have as well.
Four weeks ago, England were 1-0 down and still infected by an illness epidemic. Then Rory Burns, Jimmy Anderson and Jack Leach went home. To win 3-1 after that is remarkable, no matter how poor South Africa have been.
Root said: It has been a huge effort, weve had to dig deep collectively.
A big part of our teams are the three pillars we operate by courage, respect and unity.
It would have been very easy to go off the rails after that first game but we stuck tight together.
The two Durham lads Woody and Stokesy really stood up. They bowled with huge hearts, ability and sheer will got the two wickets that changed the game.
South Africa needed a huge 466 to win and Chris Woakes provided Englands breakthrough when Pieter Malan was caught by Ben Stokes at second slip.
Stokes the bowler then removed Dean Elgar as he flapped at an attempted pull shot and the ball lobbed back to Stokes.
Rassie van der Dussen and Faf du Plessis put on 92 for the third wicket and took the total to 181-2. There were the first glimmerings of English anxiety.
Van der Dussen was given out lbw on nought to Woakes and would have registered a pair but a review showed the ball passing over the stumps.
South Africas No3 capitalised in a big way, playing a string of fine shots and taking a particular liking to the spin of Root and Joe Denly.
Tempers threatened to flare when a throw from Sam Curran struck Du Plessis who then inadvertently brushed shoulders with Jos Buttler as he argued with Stuart Broad.
Du Plessis said: I think thats part of my character, I try to show the fight of a leader. Its not like Im looking for it but if it comes my way I wont back down.
Stokes bowled Du Plessis with one that kept low. Next over, Van der Russen mis-hit an attempted drive straight to Broad at short extra and fell two agonising runs away from a maiden Test ton.
Temba Bavuma played a few shots but then gloved a screamer from Broad and suffered the indignity of being dumped on his backside before trudging off.
Dwaine Pretorius top-edged a hook and Curran held on as he converged on the ball with wicketkeeper Buttler.
England were rushing towards victory and Vernon Philander, playing his final Test but hampered by the hamstring tear he suffered while bowling on Sunday, was snared down the legside off Wood.
With only the tail for company, Quinton de Kock had a hack but an attempted pull against Wood skied to mid-off.
A fatal mix-up accounted for the ninth wicket with Beuran Hendricks stranded in mid-pitch as Dom Sibley lobbed a throw to Buttler.
Wood then collected his fourth wicket and ninth of the match when Anrich Nortje gloved a catch to Buttler.
