{ "id": "151244", "author": "26", "cnmid": "", "title": "Root's Record-Equalling Century Revives England Against Sri Lanka In Lords Test", "lang": "en", "series": "601", "cup_year": "2024", "article_type": "General", "excerpt": "Joe Root scored an England record-equalling 33rd Test hundred as the hosts established a strong position against Sri Lanka on the first day of the second Test at Lord's on Thursday. SCORECARD Engl", "subtype": null, "editor1": "

Joe Root scored an England record-equalling 33rd Test hundred as the hosts established a strong position against Sri Lanka on the first day of the second Test at Lord's on Thursday.<\/strong><\/p>\r\n\r\n

SCORECARD<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\r\n\r\n

England, 42-2 when Root came in to bat, reached stumps on 358-7. The star batsman made 143 -- his sixth Test century at the 'Home of Cricket'.<\/p>\r\n\r\n

No other England top-order batsman made more than Ben Duckett's 40.<\/p>\r\n\r\n

But fast bowler Gus Atkinson was 74 not out at the close -- his maiden Test fifty in just his fifth match at this level -- after providing Root with excellent support in a seventh-wicket stand of 92 in 19 overs.<\/p>\r\n\r\n

"I think we have had a really good day," Root told Sky Sports. "Hopefully we can carry that on now and over 400 would be a really good total."<\/p>\r\n\r\n

Root's 206-ball innings saw him equal the England record of 33 Test hundreds held by the retired Alastair Cook.<\/p>\r\n\r\n

"I had to be quite patient and they bowled well for periods of time," said Root, who made his Test debut in 2012.<\/p>\r\n\r\n

- 'Good balance' -<\/p>\r\n\r\n

Long freed from the burden of captaining England, he added: "I am very much in a really good place at the minute, I am really enjoying everything, I have got a good balance of things."<\/p>\r\n\r\n

All of Sri Lanka's pace trio took two wickets on Thursday, with Lahiru Kumara leading the way with 2-75 in 20 overs after being recalled in place of Vishwa Fernando following England's five-wicket win in last week's first Test at Old Trafford.<\/p>\r\n\r\n

Sri Lanka fast-bowling coach Aaqib Javed praised the seamers' efforts, while being disappointed that England had recovered from 216-6.<\/p>\r\n\r\n

But the former Pakistan paceman Javed lauded Kumara by saying: "He bowled 90 mph (145 kmh) and that's what you want from a fast bowler. It was pleasing to see."<\/p>\r\n\r\n

Earlier, Ollie Pope was out in single figures for his third successive innings as England's stand-in captain, with Sri Lanka taking three wickets before lunch after winning the toss.<\/p>\r\n\r\n

Sri Lanka captain Dhananjaya de Silva decided to field as his side seek to level the three-match series.<\/p>\r\n\r\n

It looked a questionable move when left-handed opener Duckett scored three fours in an over off Asitha Fernando.<\/p>\r\n\r\n

But makeshift opener Dan Lawrence fell for nine, caught behind off Kumara.<\/p>\r\n\r\n

Pope, twice out for six at Old Trafford in his debut match as England skipper in place of injured Ben Stokes, had made one when he top-edged a pull off Fernando. De Silva held a well-judged catch running back from square leg.<\/p>\r\n\r\n

Not for the first time in his 145-Test career, the 33-year-old Root, fresh from a match-clinching 62 not out in the first Test, came in with the innings in the balance.<\/p>\r\n\r\n

On 11 he was rapped on the pad by a full-length Kumara delivery. But Paul Reiffel denied Sri Lanka's lbw appeal and his decision was upheld on review by umpire's call.<\/p>\r\n\r\n

No reviews were needed, however, when left-arm spinner Prabath Jayasuriya struck with just his fourth ball, Duckett top-edging a reverse scoop to Kumara on the boundary as a 47-ball 40 came to a disappointing end.<\/p>\r\n\r\n

At lunch, England were faltering at 97-3.<\/p>\r\n\r\n

Root shared stands of 48 and 62 with Harry Brook (33) and wicketkeeper Jamie Smith (21).<\/p>\r\n\r\n

Chris Woakes carelessly pulled Fernando straight to long leg on six to leave England 216-6.<\/p>\r\n\r\n

Root, 81 not out at tea, spent 12 balls on 99 before elegantly guiding the paceman for four between slip and gully to complete a hundred with his 13th four in 162 balls faced.<\/p>\r\n\r\n

He moved into joint-tenth place in an all-time list of Test century-makers headed by India's Sachin Tendulkar, who scored 51 hundreds in 200 Tests.<\/p>\r\n\r\n

After batting in largely classical fashion, Root was out when he skyed an unorthodox ramp off Milan Rathnayake to Pathum Nissanka, with England then 308-7.<\/p>\r\n\r\n

Atkinson, who drove Jayasuriya for two superb straight sixes, went to fifty in just 61 balls when he cover-drove fast bowler Rathnayake for a textbook four.<\/p>\r\n\r\n

Also Read: <\/b> Funding For Test Cricket<\/a><\/p>

The 26-year-old took a toll of the new ball too, pulling Kumara for six over midwicket.<\/p>\r\n", "image": "https:\/\/img.cricketnmore.com\/uploads\/2024\/08\/Joe-Roor.jpg", "alt_img": "Joe Root", "alt_title": "England vs Sri Lanka Lords Test", "image1": null, "video": null, "seo_title": "Root's Record-Equalling Century Revives England Against Sri Lanka In Lords Test On Cricketnmore", "seo_desc": "England vs Sri Lanka Lords Test 2024: Joe Root scored an England record-equalling 33rd Test hundred as the hosts established a strong position against Sri Lanka on the first day of the second Test at Lord's on Thursday.", "seo_keywords": "England Vs Sri Lanka Lords Test, Joe Root", "tag": null, "tagging": "England Vs Sri Lanka Lords Test,Joe Root,", "status": "1", "img_rpt": "0", "google": "1", "standout": "0", "edapps": "0", "pulse": "0", "no_index": "0", "feed": "0", "fixture": null, "slug": "roots-record-equalling-century-revives-england-against-sri-lanka-in-lords-test", "user_id": "0", "read_count": "1", "ians_date": null, "ians_time": null, "server_time": null, "trash": "0", "view_count": "1230", "page_break": "0", "instant_articles": "1", "auto_link": "1", "created": "2024-08-30 08:10:37", "updated": "2024-08-30 08:10:37", "img_from": "Image Source: Google", "img_source": null, "schedule_publish": null, "news_keywords": "England Vs Sri Lanka Lords Test, Joe Root", "livescore_text": null, "livescore_link": null, "btn_text": null, "resend_feed": "0", "google_feed": "0", "read_more": "0", "posted_by": "1", "jio_date": "2024-08-30 08:10:37", "scheduled": "0", "news_now": "1", "breaking_news": "1", "google_date": null, "featured": "0", "pred_match_id": "Select", "article_content_type": null, "link": "https:\/\/www.cricketnmore.com\/cricket-news\/roots-record-equalling-century-revives-england-against-sri-lanka-in-lords-test-151244" }