Both chanceless hundreds, crucial contributions at a pivotal point in the four-match series, had added personal value.
Advertisement
Root brought up a 21 half century from 86 balls, driving and punching with fine footwork for nine boundaries in his 50.
ALASTAIR COOK raced to his 29th Test century before falling to Mohammad Amir on the stroke of tea.
On a sunny morning at Old Trafford, England lost only Alex Hales as they sought and achieved a foothold in the first session. The Pakistan team will be looking to secure the series by winning this match as well but this is not going to be easy as England will defiantly come back very strong and beating them again on their home soil is not going to be easy. I think the ball wasn’t coming nicely from his hand.
Cook made his century just before tea to give him his 29th test century; a remarkable feat.
Amir had to run the gauntlet of local humour by the time he got into his third spell as the Manchester crowd demonstrated their memory of his spot-fixing past with a succession of ironic “no-ball” calls from the temporary stand square with the wicket. The England captain also seized on a short and wide Rahat Ali delivery which he cut for four. When the teams met in the UAE last winter, Yasir and Shoaib Malik took 26 wickets at 21.5 and 20.7 respectively.
“In hindsight, he could have played that game – because obviously, he went and played for Lancashire and got through that”.
This one-day side has been far more successful against spin than their counterparts in the longer form the game recently – where the inability to play it is a huge problem against the likes of Pakistan star Yasir Shah.
Yasir’s 10-wicket haul in the first Test at Lord’s propelled him to the top of the International Cricket Council rankings.
Unlike Pakistan, England is most expected to make three changes in their squad for the Second Test beginning at Old Trafford on Friday. When conditions are like that in our favour, you’ve got to make sure he doesn’t do too much damage’. “I’ve been in good nick all through the summer, with Essex as well”.
The 25-year-old was relieved to have made a significant start having failed to cash in on his recent opportunities. “If we show the same consistency we showed at Lord’s this can be a good match for us”, he said. “It was just nice to get off 28”.
Root added playing more straight bat shots had taken the “risk out” of facing Shah. The captain knows, however, that his batting line-up was at fault for the 1-0 deficit England now face, rather than a bowling unit that had been affected by selection wrangles.
Advertisement
He continued, “If we’d played really good cricket, and won – the 11 guys picked were certainly capable of that – then that story wouldn’t be blown up like it has been”.
