Joe Root’s record-equalling 33rd hundred ensures England do not waste the chance to bat first on the opening day of the second Test against Sri Lanka at Lord’s.
Joe Root’s record-equalling 33rd century ensured England did not waste the chance to bat first on the opening day of the second Test against Sri Lanka at Lord’s.
Almost all of the England batters were to blame for their own downfalls, including makeshift opener Dan Lawrence, caught behind walking down the pitch for nine, and stand-in captain Ollie Pope, who was caught off an ugly pull for only one. Atkinson remained, completing his maiden Test half-century and attacking the second new ball for an unbeaten 74, accompanied by Matthew Potts on 20 not out.Root has been in outstanding form across the summer, so another century was quite predictable. In contrast, the biggest shock of the day came before a ball was bowled, when Dhananjaya de Silva revealed his decision to field first.
There were times on Thursday when they were poised to take the initiative. England were 82-3 and 130-4. The seamers ran in down the slope from the Pavilion End, spinner Prabath Jayasuriya plugged away from the Nursery End and England were profligate. This was a century of the highest quality, a sixth Test ton at Lord’s giving Root the share of another record, and an innings that took him past Cook as England’s highest run-scorer in home Tests. He will soon pass Cook as England’s all-time leading Test run-scorer.
The captain’s wait to bat was not long, thanks to the plight of Lawrence. Despite scores of 30 and 34 at Old Trafford, Lawrence looked ill-suited to opening and this dismissal, a walk at Kumara to edge a wide one, was needless.
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