Root record century puts England in a strong
England are 358/7 at stumps on day one of the second Test at Lord’s thanks to a Joe Root century and an unbeaten half-century from Gus Atkinson. Joe Root scored a record-equalling 33rd Test century as England put themselves in a strong position against Sri Lanka on the first day of the second Test at Lord’s on Thursday.
England were 42-2 when Joe Root came in to bat and were 358-7 at stumps. The star batsman had made 143 – his sixth Test century at the ‘home of cricket’. No other England top-order batsman scored more than Ben Duckett’s 40. But pacer Gus Atkinson was unbeaten on 74 – his first Test half-century in just five matches at this level – as he provided excellent support to Root in a 92-run seventh-wicket partnership in 19 overs.
Ollie Pope England stand-in captain
Earlier, Ollie Pope was dismissed in single digits in his third consecutive innings as England stand-in captain, with Sri Lanka winning the toss and taking three wickets before lunch. Despite beautiful weather, Sri Lanka captain Dhananjaya de Silva decided to field first, his team looking to level the three-match series 1-1 after England’s five-wicket win in the first Test at Old Trafford last week.
Left-handed opener Duckett looked a dubious move when he smashed three fours in an over from Asitha Fernando. But makeshift opener Dan Lawrence made nine before being caught by Lahiru Kumara, who was recalled in place of Vishwa Fernando.
Pope dies
Pope, who was dismissed for six twice at Old Trafford in his debut match as England captain, had still tried to pull off a pull-off in place of the injured Ben Stokes but had made just one run when he top-edged a delivery from pacer Fernando and de Silva took a fine catch running back from square leg.
Not for the first time in his long England career, the 33-year-old Root came up with the balance of the innings. When he was on 11, a full-length delivery from Kumara hit the pads and there was a strong appeal for LBW. Paul Reiffel ruled him not out, while Sri Lanka’s review upheld the umpire’s decision.
But a review was not needed when left-arm spinner Prabhath Jayasuriya hit him off just his fourth ball, Duckett reverse scooping Kumara over the point boundary, ending his 47-ball 40 in a disappointing fashion.
England’s score at lunch at Lord’s
Former captain Root had been unbeaten on 62 at Old Trafford, while England were 97-3 at lunch at Lord’s. Root shared partnerships of 48 and 62 with Harry Brook (33) and wicketkeeper Jamie Smith (21), who scored his first Test century at Old Trafford. However, Chris Woakes carelessly pulled Fernando straight to long leg for six, leaving England at 216-6.
Root, who was unbeaten on 81 at tea, made it 99 off 12 balls and the 33-year-old Root was caught by Kumara when he was one run away from a hundred. But Root brilliantly completed his century by hitting a four off the pacer between slip and gully, his sixth century in Tests at Lord’s, hitting his 13th four off 162 balls.
Equats former skipper Cook’s record of 33 Test centuries
This means Root equalled former England captain Cook’s record of 33 Test centuries, but in his 145th match while the retired opener has scored hundreds in 161 matches at this level. By reaching three figures, Root moved to joint tenth place on the all-time list of Test century-makers, which is topped by India’s Sachin Tendulkar, who scored 51 centuries in 200 Tests.
But Root, who made his Test debut in 2012, is the only active cricketer in this elite group, with all the others now retired from international duty. Root, who batted in a largely classical style, was caught by Pathum Nissanka off pacer Milan Rathnayake off an unorthodox ramp when England were 308-7.
Equals former captain Sir Alastair Cook with Test century
But Atkinson, who smashed Jayasuriya for two superb straight sixes, brought up his half-century in just 61 balls when he hit a superb cover drive off Rathnayake for a boundary. And the 26-year-old also made the most of the new ball, sweeping Kumara over midwicket for a six.
Joe Root hit his 33rd Test century for England against Sri Lanka to equal former captain Sir Alastair Cook and become the joint-highest hundred-scorer for the country. The batsman hit 143 to help England recover from a poor start against the tourists at Lord’s on the first day of the second Test as the hosts made 358-7. “It was a good day. We’re in a strong position and it’s really pleasing to get there from where we were at one point,” Root told BBC Sport after the match.
Conclusion
Joe Root equalled Sir Alastair Cook for most Test centuries for England by scoring his 33rd century on the first day of the second Test against Sri Lanka. Root recovered from a poor start to score 143 at Lord’s. After Thursday’s action, Root said that we are stronger
