England on Friday achieved a monumental feat in Test cricket as the pioneer of the gentlemen’s game became the first team to score 5,00,000 runs in the longest format of the game. England touched the milestone in the ongoing fourth and final Test against South Africa at the Wanderers in Johannesburg. England have also played the most number of Test matches and reached the feat in what was their 1022nd Test match. Behind England are their arch-rivals Australia, who are sitting at the second spot with 4,32,706 runs in 830 Test matches. Third in the list are the current No.1 side in the longest format of the game, India with as many as 2,37,518 runs in 540 Test matches.
England touched the landmark after skipper Joe Root gently cover drove a stroke to pick up a single in the ongoing Wanderers Test against South Africa.
England opted to bat first after winning the toss as openers Zak Crawley and Dominic Sibley took the visitors off to a great start. The duo stitched a brilliant 107-run opening stand before Sibley departed for 44. Crawley went on to notch up his half-century before getting dismissed by Vernon Philander at 66.
Joe Denly settled down pretty quickly but threw his wicket away to Dane Paterson. All-rounder Ben Stokes, who has played some heroic knocks of late, had a rare failure as he was sent packing for two by express speedster Anrich Nortje.
