Cook’s century saw him extend his own England Test record to 29, but it was his first hundred at this level in 20 innings since a mammoth 263 against Pakistan in Abu Dhabi in October.
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Root is the third batsmen in this England team to have scored more than 250, after Alastair Cook and Stokes – a first for the national side – and admitted the satisfaction from going so big is what drives him to succeed. For Amir, who made his return to Test cricket in Pakistan’s 75-run win in the series opener at Lord’s, Cook’s wicket was an ideal response to the repeated cries of “No-ball!” he had to endure from some sections of the Old Trafford crowd.
There had been a painful early blow to Woakes’ right forearm when Rahat found a little variable bounce from the Pavilion End, but otherwise zero discomfort until he poked a caught-and-bowled back to Yasir.
After the early loss of Hales, the English batsman showed great composure and class and stabilised the innings.
Joe Root chats with Misbahul Haq (R) as they walk off for tea at Old Trafford Cricket Ground in Manchester, England on July 23, 2016.
Root’s 10-and-a-quarter-hour 254 was just two runs short of England’s highest individual score at this venue, with its 132-year Test history.
The scoreboard pressure exerted by England’s mammoth total was always going to be vast and after their four breakthroughs in the evening, Cook and his team will be confident of winning this match even if the next two days of this match are interrupted by forecast rain in Manchester.
Yasir’s first scalp of the game ended a 103-run fifth-wicket partnership between Root and Chris Woakes, with the latter falling for a well-made 58.
What a turnaround from Lord’s where England were bewitched by Pakistan leg-spinner Yasir Shah.
Amir was the pick of the Pakistani attack, but Root remained in charge – and as if to press the point, duly pulled the left-armer’s first delivery with the second new ball for four.
A white mark on his glove that showed up on Hotspot proved the smoking gun for TV umpire Joel Wilson, yet the infra-red images appeared to show that spot on the glove well before the ball had passed.
With a reverse sweep off Shah, Root brought up his second double hundred. Bairstow escaped on nine when Sarfraz Ahmed could not hold another chance off Yasir, and profited for a 74-ball 50. Graham Thorpe and Vaughan added 267 runs for the third wicket against Pakistan on that occasion.
His one wicket cost a whopping 213 runs off his 54 overs – the most runs ever conceded by a bowler in a Test innings at Old Trafford.
Next ball, when Rahat over-pitched, Woakes cover-drove him for another boundary. He perished when he skied an attempted slog over midwicket but was caught by a diving Hafeez, off Wahab.
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England, 427 for 5 at lunch, lost just the one wicket in the second session when Ben Stokes was given out caught behind on review down the legside off Riaz on 34. That they did so successfully means they are well on course for victory, and parity in this series.
