England’s star batter Joe Root notched up his 33rd Test century on the first day of the second Test against Sri Lanka at Lord’s, equalling Alastair Cook’s record for the most Test centuries by an England batter. Root’s record-equalling hundred was met with applause from both his teammates and the Lord’s crowd after reaching the milestone with a streaky boundary off a delivery from Sri Lankan pacer Lahiru Kumara.
Root extended his remarkable form by securing his 49th international century, surpassing Indian captain Rohit Sharma on the list of players with the most international hundreds. In doing so, Root also moved ahead of Steve Smith and Kane Williamson, who each have 32 Test centuries, becoming the active player with the most Test hundreds. Additionally, Root overtook Cook for the most Test runs scored on English soil during his innings on Thursday. He also equaled Graham Gooch and Michael Vaughan’s record of six Test centuries at Lord’s.
Sri Lanka, who had the better of the morning session, continued their momentum in the afternoon, striking twice to halt England’s progress. After a strong start by England’s top order, the visitors’ bowlers capitalized on their opportunities, making breakthroughs at crucial moments. The post-lunch session saw England’s Harry Brook showing intent by counter-attacking with a series of boundaries. Brook scored 33 off 38 balls, looking set to shift gears before being undone by a sharp inswinger from Asitha Fernando, who trapped him leg-before-wicket. This wicket halted the 56-run partnership between Brook and Root, just as it began to look dangerous for Sri Lanka.
Jamie Smith, England’s hero from the Manchester Test, then joined Root at the crease. The pair managed to stabilize the innings once more, with Smith playing cautiously while Root continued to accumulate runs at the other end. However, Sri Lanka struck again, with Milan Rathnayake dismissing Smith for 21. Smith edged a delivery to the slip cordon, ending another promising partnership and keeping Sri Lanka in control.
The Lord’s pitch, which has played evenly so far, has offered assistance to both bowlers and batters. Root’s composure and experience have been evident as he maneuvered through testing spells, remaining unflustered by the wickets falling around him. His innings have been a masterclass in concentration and shot selection, underlining his status as one of England’s premier batsmen.
