New Delhi: England skipper Joe Root continued with his red hot-form in Test cricket as he notched up yet another fifty during day 1 of the second Test match against West Indies, at Headingley, today. He ergo eqaulled the world record to become the second batsman after South African cricketer AB de Villiers to score at least one fifty-plus knock in 12 consecutive innings.
Joe Root's run to record equalling feat started last October when England was touring Bangladesh. In the second Test match, played at Shere Bangla National Stadium, the 26-year-old had struck a 122-ball 56, in their first innings. He had next notched up a thrilling 124 runs against India at Rajkot. He continued with his brilliancy with the willow during the South Africa series amid captaincy duty. Root's last 11 50-plus Test knocks stands as – 56, 124, 53, 78, 77, 88, 190, 78, 50, 52, 136. It thus adds upto 1202 runs at an average of 57.23. Root has now surpassed some of the cricketing greats like Virender Sehwag, Gautam Gambhir, and Sir Viv Richards who all have 11 such knocks to their name.
Accounting his overall Test career, Root has amassed 5250 runs so far in 108 innings with 31 half-centuries and 13 centuries. He now stands one mark away from scripting a world record.
Opting to bat first, English openers Alastair Cook (11) and Mark Stoneman (19) failed to take the home side off to a promising start. Pacers Shannon Gabriel and Kemar Roach ran riot to crumble down English hope to 156 at the loss of six wickets at Tea. Root was outfoxed by leggie Devendra Bishoo in the 44th over. Root was looking for a sweep, but the ball kissed the leading edge to fly straight to the fielder at slip.
