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England captain Joe Root’s third hundred in as many Assessments towards India took his aspect nearer to a series-levelling win on the Yorkshire batsman’s Headingley dwelling floor on Thursday. Root’s 121 — his third century in as many matches this collection — was the centrepiece of England’s 423-8 at stumps on the second day of the third Take a look at as they established an enormous first-innings lead of 345 after dismissing India for simply 78 on Wednesday. His newest hundred noticed Root be part of Denis Compton (1947) and Michael Vaughan (2002) as the one England batsmen to attain six Take a look at centuries in a calendar yr, with the all-time file of 9, set by Pakistan’s Mohammed Yousuf in 2006, now in his sights.
And on a day when England mourned the demise of former captain Ted Dexter, certainly one of their most trendy batsmen, on the age of 86, Root’s twenty third Take a look at century featured a number of textbook photographs that will have met with the approval of ‘Lord Ted’.
With openers Rory Burns (61) and Haseeb Hameed (68), in addition to recalled No 3 Dawid Malan (70) making half-centuries, this was the primary time all of England’s prime 4 had made a fifty in the identical Take a look at innings since a match towards New Zealand at Dunedin in 2013.
England’s lack of top-order runs had been so acute they’ve failed to achieve 50 earlier than dropping their second wicket 16 occasions in 20 Take a look at innings this yr.
However Wednesday noticed Root stroll into bat with England well-placed at 159-2.
England resumed on 120-0, after veteran spearhead James Anderson had ripped by way of India’s prime order throughout a return of 3-6 in eight overs to spark a dramatic collapse.
Burns was then 52 not out and Hameed 60 not out.
England’s twenty second opening partnership since Andrew Strauss retired in 2012 have been separated, nonetheless, earlier than lunch.
Left-hander Burns had added simply 9 runs when he was bowled enjoying down the unsuitable line to Mohammed Shami, with England now 135-1.
New batsman Malan, recalled after England dropped the struggling Dom Sibley, received off the mark with a cover-driven boundary off Jasprit Bumrah and adopted that shot up with two extra fours off Mohammed Siraj.
Hameed, promoted to open rather than Sibley after his five-year exile from Take a look at cricket ended with him managing simply 9 runs in whole at Lord’s, had added simply eight runs to his in a single day and spent 28 deliveries on 68 when he was bowled by a sharply turning supply from left-armer Ravindra Jadeja that noticed the left-armer – the primary wicket taken by an Indian spinner this collection.
Root, who made 109 within the drawn opener at Trent Bridge and an excellent 180 not out throughout India’s 151-run win within the second Take a look at at Lord’s, seemed in wonderful contact when guiding Shami for 2 fours in three balls behind sq. on the offside.
After India took the brand new ball, Root went to fifty in model with a back-foot forcing shot off Shami by way of level for 4 — his seventh boundary in 57 balls confronted.
Malan then square-cut a 4 off Shami to go to 49 earlier than a single off the paceman noticed him to a 99-ball fifty together with eight boundaries.
He was, nonetheless, caught behind off Mohammed Siraj with the final ball earlier than tea to depart England 298-3.
Root, in entrance of a crowd of 16,721 that included his dad and mom, was in full management as he accomplished 100 in simply 124 balls when he clipped the tiring Ishant Sharma to the midwicket boundary for his twelfth 4.
It was one thing of a shock when he was bowled between bat and pad making an attempt to drive Bumrah.
Promoted
Root acquired a rapturous reception from the Headingley devoted as he walked again into the pavilion, with solely Alastair Cook dinner (33), Root’s predecessor as captain, having made extra Take a look at centuries for England.
England misplaced a number of extra wickets late within the day however such was their lead it scarcely mattered.
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