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Joe Root equals Sir Alastair Cook’s record of 33 Test hundreds with sublime innings
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Joe Root celebrated his 33rd Test century with a raised fist and a quick glance over his shoulder to double check his favourite steer through third man had glided up the slope to the boundary under the Compton Stand.
It was understated and efficient, bereft of over exuberance, just like his batting on the opening day of the second Test at Lord’s where he equalled Sir Alastair Cook as the scorer of the most Test hundreds for England.
There was a look skyward too, for Graham Thorpe, whose batting he channelled in a gritty innings that held England together and put them in a good position at 358 for seven. It was the kind of sleeve rolling in adversity Thorpe relished and Root admired him for. Thorpe was the England Lions batting coach and started working with Root a year before he had even scored a first-class hundred.
"We are witnessing greatness in front of our eyes."
Joe Root gets his 33rd Test hundred and equals the record for most England Test centuries 🏴💯 pic.twitter.com/GV3KiuUVwl— Sky Sports Cricket (@SkyCricket) August 29, 2024
Now Root has 33 in Test cricket alone, six at Lord’s (equalling that record too held by Michael Vaughan and Graham Gooch) and two this summer as he marches unstoppable towards Cook’s other record, the most Test runs for England (he is 198 short).
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From the moment he clipped the first ball of his innings off his legs for four, Root looked in the mood to extend his fine summer and re-emergence from the reverse scoop of Rajkot that brought so much opprobrium from outside and caused angst within.
The Telegraph’s own Scyld Berry, who has covered nearly 500 Test matches, described it as the most “stupid shot” in England’s history. “What a chump” said Sir Geoffrey Boycott. Cook suggested on Test Match Special the reason it hurt so much was because Root is a team man and he knew he had let England down getting out at a pivotal moment in the series.
Suddenly Root became the emblem for all that was wrong with Bazball - too funky, too ambitious and too dogmatic because it had forced even an artist like him to be the vibes guy playing with reckless abandon.
Root took it on board. And because he is a student of batting, learned from it. Since Rajkot he has averaged 86.77 at a strike rate of 58.81, back to roughly his overall career mark of a nice cruising speed of 56. Before Rajkot, under Bazball, Root scored at 73 runs per 100 balls, had struck 19 sixes in 37 innings and was stumped for the first time in his career trying to whack Nathan Lyon over the top. After Rajkot, not a single six has been risked. At Old Trafford last week he did the dirty work, scoring match-winning runs in a testing run chase, even waiting until he had faced 92 balls before hitting a four. Post-Rajkot, it has been growth without over-reach.
The imp remains within and constantly needs to be battled, such is the mental nature of Test cricket. Root fell caught at point playing the scoop with England 308 for six but at least by then he had put them in a strong position, possibly a match-defining one.
England have benefitted hugely from Root’s resurgence. He has provided 22.26 percent of the team’s runs in the last seven Tests. To put that in context, the best ever career percentage is Donald Bradman at 24.28 (George Headley next on 21). For six months England have had their own Bradman.
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His 143 plugged the gaps caused by some wishy-washy batting by others. Ben Duckett made a good 40, Harry Brook a breezy 33 and Jamie Smith looked superb again on his way to 21 but all three perished to unforced errors. Duckett fell reverse sweeping, his strength proving his weakness, in the only over of spin before lunch, Brook’s footwork was leaden as he played across the line and Smith for once lost his shape aiming a big drive outside off stump.
Ollie Pope’s scratchy starting is back to its worst, like a car with a flooded engine. The burden of captaincy on an anxious player is only increasing his skittishness. He chatted to Root about how to switch off and chill. It did not work: Pope was caught pulling for his third single figure score in a row, out playing the first attacking shot of his innings.
Only Gus Atkinson with a swashbuckling 74 at No 8, batting in the warm evening light, looked on a par with Root, the pair adding 92 from a crucial point at 216 for six when the innings could have petered out. In the end, England proved Sri Lanka were wrong to bowl first on a lovely August day.
Atkinson’s runs were important because England need a No 8 in Australia who can bat, and not go the way of so many tailenders on past Ashes tours. Atkinson played some lovely strokes, hitting two sixes that looked more like Root than a No 8. It was more solid progress from one of the finds of the summer.
Root laid the groundwork, finding the gaps with precision in an 84-ball fifty that contained only four fours as he anchored the innings. He attacked spinner Prabath Jayasuriya after tea, going aerial for once to move to 96. He stayed on 99 for two overs, the crowd urging him on with cries of “Roooot” when a possible single opened up. But Root has seen it all before - 32 times before. He waited for the right ball, one wide outside off that allowed him to open the bat face and place where he wanted.
With the celebrations over, Root moved up a gear his next 43 coming off 44 balls and Sri Lanka looked flat for the first time, their bustling quick Kumara Mendis tiring a little but the best of the attack with two for 75. Atkinson thrashed a four to move into the 70s in the final over, the total now one that promises a decent game and potentially a solid chunk of play on day four. Lord’s might shift some extra tickets after all.
Root digs England out of hole on day one...
06:52 PM BST
The great man’s verdict
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06:50 PM BST
More from Joe Root
How well did Gussie strike the ball?! [On the hold-the-pose straight drive for six] I’d die to be able to play a shot like that! We need to get him into golf because that swing is so pure.
It’s such a great sign seeing guys like Gussie and Pottsy step up and make life difficult for Sri Lanka. Those guys have set things up nicely going into day two.
06:42 PM BST
Joe Root’s reaction
I think we’ve had a really good day. The fact we’ve got two lads set in the morning is good for us and hopefully we can get 400. That would be a really good total on there. The wicket’s on the slower side but thankfully the outfield is rapid which cancels it out at times.
We had to be patient and they bowled well. You have to try to soak it up then cash in. I had to move my feet further apart to get my base and not fall over as much. That was the plan to eradicate the one that nips back.
Part of Test batting is being able to manage conditions, and I feel like this year I’ve managed to do that quite nicely.
[On equalling Sir Alastair Cook’s record of 33 Test hundreds] I’ve not really got much for you! Yeah, it’s great. I feel like there’s a lot more cricket to play so we’ll see where we are at the end of it all.
I feel like I’ve got a really good balance at the moment. The game’s fickle if you start looking for ahead, so you have to try to live in the now. We’re so fortunate to play as much Test cricket as we do.
06:33 PM BST
OVER 88: ENG 358/7 (Atkinson 74 Potts 20)
Atkinson crashes another terrific pull in front of square, this time for four, and that’s stumps. He will return tomorrow with a chance of maiden Test century, a maiden first-class century in fact. His dead-eyed 74 not out and a masterful 143 from Joe Root have fuelled England’s recovery from 130/4 and 216/6. There’s a long way to go but that last session, in which Sri Lanka’s weary seamers went round the park, feels pivotal.
England finish the first day of the second Test 358-7 against Sri Lanka 👀
Gus Atkinson unbeaten on 74 👏 pic.twitter.com/QXvdvrW8wc— Sky Sports Cricket (@SkyCricket) August 29, 2024
06:29 PM BST
OVER 87: ENG 353/7 (Atkinson 69 Potts 20)
The first six overs with the second new ball went at exactly a run a ball, so Dhananjaya has reluctantly gone back to Jayasuriya in an attempt to limit the damage before the close. That’s exactly what happens, with a low-key over yielding a single apiece to Atkinson and Potts. Time for one more before the close.
06:25 PM BST
OVER 86: ENG 351/7 (Atkinson 68 Potts 19)
Now Potts helps himself to four more off Asitha. This has been a very impressive counter-attack from England, with 131 runs coming from the last 24 overs, but overall it feels like a par score on this pitch. A lot will depend on how much damage these lower-order runs have done to Sri Lanka’s morale.
06:20 PM BST
OVER 85: ENG 343/7 (Atkinson 66 Potts 14)
Four more to Atkinson, thumped ruthlessly between mid-off and extra cover when Kumara overpitches. And then six more to Atkinson, pulled savagely into the crowd at midwicket. Pick that out!
It sat up nicely but it was a helluva shot, Atkinson’s fourth six of the innings. Nobody else has hit one.
06:16 PM BST
OVER 84: ENG 332/7 (Atkinson 55 Potts 14)
An LBW appeal is caught in the throat when Potts gets an inside edge off Fernando. Poor Fernando looks shattered; this is his 47th over of the series, which only started eight days ago. He ends it by producing a beauty toi beat Potts.
06:12 PM BST
OVER 83: ENG 331/7 (Atkinson 54 Potts 14)
Madushka saves four byes with an excellent stop when Kumara strays down the leg side. There’s nothing anyone can do when Potts drives and pulls successive boundaries. The first came off a thick edge, the second was a majestic shot. This has been a dog of a session for Sri Lanka, who had England where they wanted them at 216/6.
06:09 PM BST
OVER 82: ENG 323/7 (Atkinson 53 Potts 6)
Asitha Fernando starts with a regrettable wide delivery that is larruped to the point boundary by Matthew Potts. Bashir aside, England’s lower order can all bat.
06:02 PM BST
OVER 81: ENG 316/7 (Atkinson 52 Potts 1)
There should be time for six or seven overs with the second new ball tonight. The difference between, say, 350/7 and 330 all out is pretty big, 20 runs and three wickets at the very least.
The impressive Lahiru Kumara stiffens himself for one last spell and starts with a good over that includes a beautiful leg-cutter to beat Potts. One from the over.
05:58 PM BST
OVER 80: ENG 315/7 (Atkinson 52 Potts 0)
That’ll do! Atkinson thumps Rathnayeke between mid off and extra cover for four to bring a quite superb maiden Test fifty: 61 balls, three fours and three sixes. The speed and style with which he made those runs has really changed the mood of this game.
Right, time for the second new ball.
05:53 PM BST
OVER 79: ENG 309/7 (Atkinson 46 Potts 0)
Atkinson isn’t going after Jayasuriya now; he wants to be there for the second new ball. And he really wants a Test fifty.
05:50 PM BST
OVER 78: ENG 308/7 (Atkinson 45 Potts 0)
That wicket gives Sri Lanka the chance to get this done tonight, then return tomorrow for what should be the best batting conditions of the match.
05:47 PM BST
Wicket!
Root c Nissanka b Rathnayeke 143 Oh, Joe! After an innings of near flawless orthodoxy, Joe Root falls to his first reverse ramp of the day. He spooned it straight up in the air and was easily caught at slip. A frustrating and needless dismissal, but it doesn’t really detract from a wonderful innings: 143 from 206 balls with 18 fours. FOW: 308/7
'He's livid with himself!'
Root falls after sensational 143 knock! pic.twitter.com/Jym7jWdiZG— Sky Sports Cricket (@SkyCricket) August 29, 2024
05:45 PM BST
OVER 77: ENG 308/6 (Root 143 Atkinson 45)
The new ball is due after 80 overs. Sri Lanka probably have to take it but there’s a risk it could go the distance, especially with weary bowlers.
05:40 PM BST
OVER 76: ENG 306/6 (Root 142 Atkinson 44)
No memes will emerge from this Joe Root innings. Nothing will go viral, none of the shots will make a highlights package at the end of his career. It’s been far better than that, a quietly charming masterpiece from an all-time great who, when he is in this headspace, couldn’t fail if he tried.
05:36 PM BST
OVER 75: ENG 302/6 (Root 139 Atkinson 43)
Sri Lanka have started chasing their tail. Back comes Jayasuriya, who was manhandled by Atkinson at the start of this counter-attack. Atkinson turns three off the pads to bring up the 300. It’s not an amazing score on a very good pitch, but the way England have got there has changed the mood of the match, maybe the series. And for all Sri Lanka’s weariness, this has been a superbly judged partnership.
05:32 PM BST
OVER 74: ENG 297/6 (Root 137 Atkinson 40)
Three have been three sixes today, and Gus Atkinson has hit them all. Mendis drops short and is monstered into the crowd at cow corner, another mighty shot that takes him into forties. It’s no exaggeration to say this could be a matchwinning partnership; the last 12 overs have disappeared for 77 at a time when Sri Lanka were on top.
05:28 PM BST
OVER 73: ENG 287/6 (Root 137 Atkinson 31)
We mentioned Root’s gearstick a bit earlier – oh behave – and he has used it in the last half an hour. A disdainful pull for four off Rathnayake takes him to 137, 30 of which have come off the last 22 balls. He almost falls, mind you, when an inside edge drops short of the keeper Madushka. I have a feeling uneven bounce will be a factor in the second innings.
05:24 PM BST
OVER 72: ENG 283/6 (Root 133 Atkinson 31)
The drinks break came at a good time for Sri Lanka, who need to reset and go again.
Or not. Kamindu’s first ball after the break is hammered for four by Root. He’s racing along now, as are England: they’ve scored 63 from the last 10 overs. Every time suffers the final session blues from time to time, and that’s happening to Sri Lanka here.
05:16 PM BST
OVER 71: ENG 278/6 (Root 128 Atkinson 31)
A lot of the tributes to the beloved Graham Thorpe highlighted his ability to score in all conditions and match situations. Root is the same – yet he’s even better than Thorpe was. As hauntingly sad as Thorpe’s death will always be, I love that they spent so much time working together, and that Thorpe was the first man in the England system to spot how good Root was.
Back in the here and now, that’s drinks.
05:11 PM BST
OVER 70: ENG 277/6 (Root 127 Atkinson 31)
Kamindu Mendis is coming on to bowl some occasional offspin. In case you missed it, he’s one of the first ambidextrous bowlers. But such ability doesn’t count for much when you drop short and are slapped through the covers for four by Root. That brings up a really good fifty partnership, made at game-changing speed from just 62 balls.
Root is batting delightfully and reverse sweeps successive deliveries for two and four. It’s hard to know what to say about Root any more; he’s a thing of wonder.
Mendis’s first over has gone for 13. Sri Lanka have got problems here.
05:08 PM BST
OVER 69: ENG 264/6 (Root 116 Atkinson 29)
Atkinson continues his eye-catching cameo by pumping Asitha to the cover boundary. He has dominated a partnership of 48 only 10 overs, and while I still think Sri Lanka are slightly ahead in the game, they could surrender any advantage in the next 80 minutes.
05:05 PM BST
OVER 68: ENG 258/6 (Root 115 Atkinson 24)
That little assault by Atkinson has forced Dhanajaya to replace Jayasuriya with Rathnayake. This is a dangerous period for Sri Lanka, who for the first time all day are looking a little flat. The last ball of an otherwise decent over is too wide and driven handsomely for four by Root, who has played almost flawlessly.
Lovely to see succession planning in action. Gus Atkinson is well on course in his batting development to become the replacement for Chris Woakes, who is normally England’s number eight, even if he was seven here.
04:59 PM BST
Root 33
04:57 PM BST
OVER 67: ENG 253/6 (Root 111 Atkinson 23)
Sri Lanka’s seamers have put a shift in and must be tired. Even so, it’s imperative they don’t let England get away in the last hour and a half of play – especially as Atkinson has started to go after Jayasuriya. He looks dangerous and Root has one of the smoother gearsticks in world cricket.
04:54 PM BST
Pope is worst starter in England’s history
Statistically, Ollie Pope is the worst starter of any specialist English batsman in Test history. He has been dismissed within 20 balls in 38 per cent of his Test innings: the worst figure of anyone to bat 35 times in England’s top six.
04:53 PM BST
OVER 66: ENG 247/6 (Root 107 Atkinson 21)
I say, this is another gorgeous shot from Atkinson. He dances down the pitch to drive Jayasuriya sweetly over mid off for six more, a shot played with almost a golf swing. Atkinson has sped to 21 from 20 balls.
04:51 PM BST
OVER 64: ENG 238/6 (Root 106 Atkinson 13)
Atkinson moves into double figures with a crisp square drive for four off the returning Asitha. He is a dangerous ball striker down the order, even if No8 is a place or two too high.
04:45 PM BST
OVER 64: ENG 233/6 (Root 105 Atkinson 9)
The first six of the day is hit by Gus Atkinson, a beautiful hold-the-pose drive off Jayasuriya that flies over mid-off. Atkinson is very undemonstrative but you could say him straining to suppress a smile there.
04:41 PM BST
OVER 63: ENG 226/6 (Root 104 Atkinson 3)
Atkinson again gets Root on strike at the earliest opportunity. And this time he gets the job done. After 13 balls on 99, Root guides Kumara for four to reach his 33rd Test century, equaling Sir Alastair Cook’s England record. Nobody else is close (see below). It was a classic Root innings, with few false strokes and superb management of risk. He’s one of the all-time greats and a credit to humanity, never mind cricket.
33 Alastair Cook, Joe Root
23 Kevin Pietersen
22 Geoffrey Boycott, Wally Hammond, Colin Cowdrey, Ian Bell
21 Andrew Strauss
20 Graham Gooch, Ken Barrington
"We are witnessing greatness in front of our eyes."
Joe Root gets his 33rd Test hundred and equals the record for most England Test centuries 🏴💯 pic.twitter.com/GV3KiuUVwl— Sky Sports Cricket (@SkyCricket) August 29, 2024
04:37 PM BST
OVER 62: ENG 220/6 (Root 99 Atkinson 2)
And still they wait. Atkinson takes a single off the first ball but Root can’t get the run he needs. He’s now been on 99 for 11 balls, which is nothing in historical time but an age for most modern batsmen.
04:34 PM BST
OVER 61: ENG 219/6 (Root 99 Atkinson 1)
Root smiles after almost dragging Kumara onto his stumps. A defensive stroke went into the ground and bounced well over the top. But it could have gone anywhere.
Sri Lanka have bowled with impressive discipline and they’re making Root wait for his hundred. Kumara dives to his left in his follow through to stop Root getting the single he needs; a maiden.
04:31 PM BST
OVER 60: ENG 219/6 (Root 99 Atkinson 1)
Root moves to 99 with a couple of singles off Jayasuriya. He wanted to come back for two on the second one but Atkinson, probably wisely, turned him down. “You don’t want to get run out for 99 on this ground,” deadpans Stuart Broad to his co-commentator Mike Atherton.
04:29 PM BST
OVER 59: ENG 216/6 (Root 97 Atkinson 0)
That was the last ball of the over.
04:27 PM BST
Wicket!
Woakes c Asitha b Kumara 6 Sri Lanka keep chipping away. Woakes, who can be vulnerable against the short ball, hooks Kumara straight to Asitha at long leg. He fumbles a simple catch but has time to grab the ball at the second attempt. Kumara deserves that for an excellent spell. FOW: 216/6
Sri Lanka have another as Chris Woakes departs! 🏏 pic.twitter.com/ZIxuKRnTvW
— Sky Sports Cricket (@SkyCricket) August 29, 2024
04:22 PM BST
OVER 58: ENG 215/5 (Root 96 Woakes 6)
Jayasuriya switches to over the wicket, drops short and is hammered through square for four more by Root. A single takes him to within four runs of a 33rd Test century, which would equal Sir Alastair Cook’s England record. What have we done to deserve him?
04:18 PM BST
OVER 57: ENG 210/5 (Root 91 Woakes 6)
Root shapes to drive Kumara and is beaten. You wouldn’t know it from his figures (14-1-48-1) but Kumara has been the pick of the Sri Lanka bowlers so far. A couple of sharp bouncers are left by Root, who wanted to pull but then realised the ball was getting too big.
04:15 PM BST
OVER 56: ENG 209/5 (Root 90 Woakes 6)
A rank bad ball from Jayasuriya, his first of the match, is hoicked extravagantly over square leg for four by Root. A two and a single take him into the nerveless nineties.
04:11 PM BST
OVER 55: ENG 202/5 (Root 83 Woakes 6)
Root plays and misses at Kumara, nibbling outside off stump, then punches a pleasant drive that doesn’t beat cover. A single off the last ball allows him to keep strike.
04:07 PM BST
OVER 54: ENG 201/5 (Root 82 Woakes 6)
Jayasuriya continues after tea, starting with another quiet over. All Sri Lanka’s seamers want to bowl from the other end so he’s doing a great job by keeping it so tight: his figures are 14-2-39-1.
03:54 PM BST
Tea verdict
Joe Root standing tall, again, gluing together a ropey innings from England. Two wickets fell in the afternoon, both playing big shots. Harry Brook was out hitting across the line with limited footwork and Jamie Smith made a rare mistake going for a hard drive outside off to edge behind for 21.
Up until then Smith had looked solid again, reaching six off 32 balls before playing an attacking shot. But just like Ben Duckett and Brook, he did not stay in as Sri Lanka chipped away determinedly. Root is 19 short of his 33rd Test hundred, which would equal Alastair Cook’s record tally for England, who are eternally grateful once again for his calming presence.
03:44 PM BST
OVER 53: ENG 200/5 (Root 81 Woakes 7)
Kumara returns for the last over before tea. Woakes pushes two through the covers to bring up England’s 200. Good score? Bad score? Adequate score? We’ll find out in the next 24 hours.
That’s tea. The seemingly effortless brilliance of Joe Root has kept England in business at Lord’s. He’ll resume after tea needing 19 from a record-equalling 33rd Test hundred.
03:38 PM BST
OVER 52: ENG 197/5 (Root 80 Woakes 4)
Playing for tea my foot. Woakes dances down the pitch to chip Jayasuriya for four, a very pleasant way to get off the mark. The rest is dot balls.
03:37 PM BST
OVER 51: ENG 193/5 (Root 80 Woakes 0)
Looks like England are playing for tea. Root offers only a rock-solid defence in that over, allowing Rathnayake to bowl his first maiden of the day. England’s scoring rate is a relatively modest 3.78 per over; that and the number of players who have failed to convert starts makes you wonder if the pitch is deceptively awkward.
03:31 PM BST
OVER 50: ENG 193/5 (Root 80 Woakes 0)
The other good thing for Sri Lanka is that Kumara hasn’t bowled in almost two hours so should be raring to go after tea. There’s a long way to go but England have a bit of a mess to clean up.
03:28 PM BST
OVER 49: ENG 192/5 (Root 79 Woakes 0)
That was the last ball of the over. Sri Lanka, who have already had an excellent day, now have the chance to take complete control of this Test.
03:27 PM BST
Wicket!
Smith c Madushka b Rathnayake 21 A big wicket just before tea! Smith tries to drive an inviting delivery from Rathnayake and snicks through the keeper to end a sensible but slightly laboured innings of 21 from 57 balls. Sri Lanka continue to keep England in check. FOW: 192/5
03:22 PM BST
OVER 48: ENG 188/4 (Root 78 Smith 17)
Jayasuriya has hardly bowled a ball, but when he has England have taken advantage. He drops slightly short to Root, who threads expertly past extra cover for four more. There has been a lovely ruthlessness to Root’s batting this summer; he looks greedy for runs, which hasn’t always been the case in the Bazball era.
03:19 PM BST
OVER 47: ENG 182/4 (Root 73 Smith 17)
Smith crashes a straight drive that is half stopped by the boot of the bowler Rathnayake and runs down the ground for three. That brings up an intelligent, calm fifty partnership from 15.3 overs.
The Sri Lankan captain Dhananjaya did well to save the boundary but has hurt his knee in the process; he’s flexing it and grimacing at mid-off.
The over ends with a let off for Smith, a drive on the up that is edged fractionally short of gully.
03:14 PM BST
OVER 46: ENG 177/4 (Root 71 Smith 14)
Jayasuriya bowls, Smith defends. Repeat five more times, a maiden.
03:11 PM BST
OVER 45: ENG 177/4 (Root 71 Smith 14)
Four more to Root, steered typically to third man off Rathnakeye. Having done the hard yards at the start of the partnership, Root and Smith are now putting pressure back on Sri Lanka.
Saying which, Root edges the last ball of the over just wide of gully for four. I don’t know if it carried but it was a genuine edge.
Edit: it did carry and only just evaded the diving Nissanka.
03:07 PM BST
OVER 44: ENG 169/4 (Root 63 Smith 14)
Jayasuriya bowls slightly wide to Smith, who waves him through extra cover for four. He’s starting to express himself now, and I’m going to say nothing about how that could be ominous for Sri Lanka because the last time I pulled that stunt Harry Brook got out.
03:05 PM BST
A promenade in the evening sun
Sobriety has broken out at Lord’s this afternoon… on the field at least. England’s top order was so giddy in the morning that the middle order have had to rein themselves in. Thus Joe Root’s 50 has been admirably controlled. And Jamie Smith continues to amaze with his maturity of judgment, especially when compared to the top order.
The cricket is not dull. It is quiet. And it is a reminder of the eternal verities about partnerships. They are built brick by brick and ball by ball upon foundations, not thrown up instantly as in white ball games. A partnership between Joe Root and Harry Brook is a bracing walk along the seafront, between Root and Jamie Smith it is a promenade in the evening sun.
03:02 PM BST
OVER 43: ENG 165/4 (Root 63 Smith 10)
A rare bit of fortune for Root, who inside-edges Rathnayeke past the stumps for four to move into the sixties. An LBW appeal is turned down later in the over; even it it was pad first, Root was outside the line.
03:01 PM BST
OVER 42: ENG 161/4 (Root 58 Smith 6)
Ah, there he goes. Smith makes room to flay Jayasuriya through the covers for four, which moves him into double figures. England are inching their way towards a decent position, though Sri Lanka are probably still on top just now.
03:00 PM BST
OVER 41: ENG 156/4 (Root 58 Smith 6)
Smith hasn’t scored from the last 19 balls, though there’s no sense that he’s struggling. His defence looks very tight.
02:52 PM BST
OVER 40: ENG 155/4 (Root 57 Smith 6)
It’s hard to know what to say about Jayasuriya’s bowling. Every delivery is angled in, demanding a defensive stroke most of the time. Root clips three off the pads and Smith plays out the rest of the over; he has six from 28 balls.
02:50 PM BST
Root back to his old self
Joe Root’s 97th score of 50 or more for England and this is a fine summer for him. He appears to have reverted to his old self, shaken off the Bazball hype and batted in his own style. Perhaps the reverse scoop in Rajkot was a good thing in the long run. Ever since then he has played to suit the conditions and situation. Since that Bumrah dismissal his strike rate has been 57 – around his career mark – rather than the 73 before then under Bazball.
02:49 PM BST
OVER 39: ENG 152/4 (Root 54 Smith 6)
Root clips the returning Rathnayeke for two to reach a serene, unobtrusive half-century: 84 balls, six fours. That’s the 13th time he’s reached fifty in Tests at Lord’s; he’s converted five of them.
Root is making it look easy, and it really isn’t.
Joe Root gets his 65th Test 50! 🤩 pic.twitter.com/nzwaCHowBn
— Sky Sports Cricket (@SkyCricket) August 29, 2024
02:41 PM BST
OVER 38: ENG 147/4 (Root 49 Smith 6)
I don’t think Jayasuriya has bowled a bad ball yet. The only two boundaries he has conceded were excellent sweeps from Root, and there’s just a single from the last over before drinks. Jayasuriya’s figures are 7-1-16-1.
02:38 PM BST
OVER 37: ENG 146/4 (Root 48 Smith 6)
One of the impressive things about Jamie Smith is his ability to adjust his tempo depending on the match situation. Today he has 6 from 18 balls and has barely played an attacking stroke.
02:33 PM BST
OVER 36: ENG 145/4 (Root 47 Smith 6)
More of the same from Jayasuriya.
02:33 PM BST
OVER 35: ENG 144/4 (Root 46 Smith 6)
Smith will look to counter-attack at some stage but not yet, not until he has got his eye in. One more wicket in the next little while and England will officially be in all sorts. He adds another low-risk single and then Root pulls Avisha round the corner for four. Just a terrific shot, another terrific shot.
02:26 PM BST
OVER 34: ENG 138/4 (Root 41 Smith 5)
Jayasuriya has got control for this end and hurries through an over to Root. Only one scoring stroke, a clip for two.
02:23 PM BST
Watch: Asitha traps Brook LBW
"It's full. It's straight. It's gone!"
After a quick review, Harry Brook's dismissal is confirmed ☝️ pic.twitter.com/Wahw4bw3Qp— Sky Sports Cricket (@SkyCricket) August 29, 2024
02:23 PM BST
OVER 33: ENG 136/4 (Root 39 Smith 5)
Root continues to gather runs, rolling his wrists to work Asitha off the hip for a single. Smith, pushing defensively with stiff wrists, is beaten outside off and then edges a boundary through backward point. It was safe enough but not where he intended, and the interrogation continues when an inside-edge saves Smith from being pinned LBW. A superb over.
Asitha Fernando looks a really fine bowler; this week his bowling coach Aaqib Javed even compared him to the great (and sadly disgraced) Pakistan surgeon Mohammad Asif.
02:18 PM BST
OVER 32: ENG 131/4 (Root 38 Smith 1)
Jamie Smith has already got England out of trouble a couple of times when batting second; now he has to do it in the first innings. He concentrates exclusively on defence during a maiden from Jayasuriya, who is harassing the stumps from around the wicket.
02:15 PM BST
OVER 31: ENG 131/4 (Root 38 Smith 1)
Dhananjaya de Silva must be feeling pretty smug right now. He was just about the only person at Lord’s who thought it a good idea to bowl first, but it has paid off.
02:13 PM BST
Wicket!
Brook LBW b Asitha 33 Oh what have we done. Harry Brook has been trapped in front by Asitha, back in the attack in place of Kumara. It was a fine delivery, full and snaking down the slope; Brook, who got in a tangle, was hit on the pad as he missed a drive and almost did the slips. Brook reviewed, just in case it was missing leg, but it was umpire’s call and he’s on his way. FOW: 130/4
02:10 PM BST
A tale of two ends
How to sum up the difference between Ollie Pope and Harry Brook, both brilliant youngish talents, the first captain at present, the second vice-captain? Pope pulled a shortish ball bowled from the Nursery End - and was caught off the top edge. Brook pulled a shortish ball from Kumara, of the same length, bowled from the Pavilion End and therefore going down the slope. Result four runs and no dismissal for Brook.
02:08 PM BST
OVER 30: ENG 128/3 (Root 37 Brook 32)
Root sweeps Jayasuriya firmly through midwicket for four, a safe shot played all along the floor. Those are the only runs from another very accurate over by Jayasuriya, who looks a good bowler. In fact, there aren’t many holes in this Sri Lanka team at all.
02:05 PM BST
OVER 29: ENG 124/3 (Root 33 Brook 32)
A shortish delivery from Kumara is flashed past midwicket for four by Brook. Beautiful shot, played with such fast hands, and he slaps a back cut for four later in the over. This is Kumara’s 11th over so maybe he is starting to tire.
It might not be today, you never with this thing of ours, but it feels like Brook is due not just a hundred but a huge hundred. If he gets out in the next over, my resignation will be forthcoming.
02:01 PM BST
OVER 28: ENG 115/3 (Root 32 Brook 24)
The left-arm spinner Jayasuriya returns and will probably have a long spell from this end. A tidy first over yields just a single to Root.
Since the infamous Rajkot Test, when he was out reverse ramping Jasprit Bumrah to slip, Root averages 84 from 11 innings. He’s been more clinical, almost boring (these things are relative), with superb management of risk. He’s so good that, when his mind is right, it’s almost impossible for him to fail. Despite all the praise Root receives, there’s an argument that he is still slightly underrated.
01:57 PM BST
OVER 27: ENG 114/3 (Root 31 Brook 24)
Brook has converted only one of his last seven half-centuries in Tests, so if he gets in today he’ll be really keen to go big. His Test average is still 59, though, so he’s exactly living with failure.
He almost gets in trouble when he tries to drive a nipbacker from Kumara that takes a thick inside edge and thuds into the body. Kumara has bowled beautifully.
01:53 PM BST
OVER 26: ENG 110/3 (Root 30 Brook 21)
Brook mistimes a chip back over Rathnayeke’s head for two, though it was nowhere near any fielders. He looks in the mood to dominate after lunch and hits two boundaries later in the over, a classic cover drieve followed by a steer past backward point. Eleven from the over.
01:49 PM BST
OVER 25: ENG 99/3 (Root 30 Brook 10)
The muscular Kumara picks up where he left off with a sharp, testing over. Root takes a dodgy single to gully, with Brook surviving a run-out chance when Nissanka’s throw misses the stumps; then Brook is beaten by a really good delivery.
01:20 PM BST
Lunch verdict
Sri Lanka’s morning, England relying once again on Joe Root, who is 29 not out. Harry Brook’s sure footed strokeplay so far is reassuring too after some unforced errors cost England badly. Sri Lanka’s decision to bowl first was odd in good batting conditions but England failed to make them pay, tossing away three wickets.
Dan Lawrence was caught behind prodding outside off, his shot selection again at fault, Ollie Pope’s frantic starting hurt him again falling to a pull shot to his tenth ball and Ben Duckett played well until a reverse sweep picked out the man on the rope in the only over of spin.
Lahiru Kumara bowled the best spell of the seamer by an overseas seamer - one for 21 from six overs at the Pavilion End - but really England only have themselves to blame.
01:03 PM BST
OVER 24: ENG 97/3 (Root 29 Brook 9)
Oof, that was close. On the stroke of lunch, Brook flashes outside off stump and is beaten by some extra bounce from Asitha. Lovely delivery, not a great shot.
That’s lunch. Sri Lanka’s surprising decision to bowl first was vindicated by the morning session, even if all three wickets came from batsman error. There are still loads of runs in this pitch, certainly in the first innings. We’ll be back in half an hour for the afternoon session.
01:00 PM BST
OVER 23: ENG 97/3 (Root 29 Brook 9)
This is Kumara’s eighth over, which is a lot before lunch for a genuine quick. He still has enough oomph to trouble Root with a bumper that is gloved down the leg side for a single.
Should be time for one more over before lunch.
12:58 PM BST
Sri Lanka’s morning
A rather feckless and slap-happy performance by England’s batsmen makes it Sri Lanka’s morning. There is probably a piece of data somewhere which says that never have so many wickets been lost on the first morning at Lord’s when the ball has deviated laterally so little. It will make another good challenge for Jamie Smith. His decision-making so far in his Test career has been almost flawless - whereas that of his top-order colleagues today has not been.
12:56 PM BST
OVER 22: ENG 94/3 (Root 28 Brook 7)
A quiet over from Asitha, back on for his third spell.
12:55 PM BST
OVER 21: ENG 91/3 (Root 27 Brook 5)
Kumara replaces Jayasuriya after one over, presumably in an attempt to nobble Brook before he gets in. Another wicket now would make this a fantastic morning for Sri Lanka.
Root is on strike for now and drives beautifully to the cover boundary. He’s in such good form right now – technically and mentally.
12:46 PM BST
OVER 20: ENG 87/3 (Root 23 Brook 5)
Brook gets his first boundary, timing Rathnayeke delightfully through backward point. Fifteen minutes to lunch.
12:42 PM BST
OVER 19: ENG 83/3 (Root 23 Brook 1)
Harry Brook gets off the mark with a tight single to mid-on. England haven’t had their best morning with the bat. Lawrence looked slightly out of his depth and Pope and Duckett messed up the execution of their attacking strokes.
12:40 PM BST
Wicket!
Duckett c Kumara b Jayasuriya 40 Prabath Jayasuriya strikes in his first over! It’s another dubious shot, this time from Ben Duckett. He tried to impose himself with a very aggressive reverse sweep but top-edged it straight to Kumara on the cover boundary. FOW: 82/3
A huge wicket for Sri Lanka as Ben Duckett is dismissed after a reverse sweep! ⏪🧹 pic.twitter.com/HL3h29y6Ln
— Sky Sports Cricket (@SkyCricket) August 29, 2024
12:34 PM BST
OVER 18: ENG 76/2 (Duckett 39 Root 18)
England haven’t scored a boundary in the last five overs, which is the equivalent of about 50 for some teams, but the scoreboard is still moving at a perfectly good rate. As we keep saying, the most important thing for England is to be two down at lunch.
I wonder whether Sri Lanka might give the left-arm spinner Jayasuriya a bowl before lunch.
12:30 PM BST
OVER 17: ENG 73/2 (Duckett 38 Root 16)
Kumara continues to impress, first causing Root a bit of discomfort with a nipbacker, then beating him outside off stump.
This is an important spell before lunch. If England are two down they’ll still fancy their chances of making an imposing first-innings score. But another wicket or two would put Sri Lanka well on top, especially as England have a longish tail.
12:26 PM BST
OVER 16: ENG 71/2 (Duckett 37 Root 15)
Rathnayeke and Kumara complement each other nicely in the best good cop/bad cop traditions. Rathnayeke continues to bowl a very tight line to Root, who walks across to work through midwicket for three. Super shot.
12:22 PM BST
OVER 15: ENG 68/2 (Duckett 37 Root 12)
What a fine spell Kumara has bowled: high-quality but also with an intensity that has changed the mood of the game.
12:19 PM BST
Root is not out!
Kumara nipped one back to Root, who fell over and missed an attempted work across the line. The umpire Paul Reiffel gave it not out, presumably thinking it was missing leg. And he was right, sort of: it was tickling the leg bail and that means it’s umpire’s call.
12:18 PM BST
Review for LBW against Joe Root!
This looks seriously close.
12:16 PM BST
OVER 14: ENG 67/2 (Duckett 37 Root 11)
Rathnayeke, back on in place of Asitha, beats Duckett with a beauty that holds its line from round the wicket. A slightly loose drive from Duckett flies safely through point for a couple of runs.
12:11 PM BST
OVER 13: ENG 65/2 (Duckett 35, Root 11)
Duckett, whose only struggles so far have been asking the short ball, rifles Kumara through mid-off for his fourth boundary. Both batsmen are going at exactly a run a ball.
Bit of news from the camp: Jordan Cox has left the Test squad to join up with Essex in their Vitality County Championship Division One match against Worcestershire at Chelmsford. Josh Hull remains with the squad at Lord’s.
12:03 PM BST
OVER 12: ENG 58/2 (Duckett 28 Root 11)
Four singles from Asitha’s over, and that’s drinks.
11:58 AM BST
OVER 11: ENG 54/2 (Duckett 26 Root 9)
Kumara bounces Duckett, who pulls for two with one hand coming off the bat. That gave him the hurry-up.
No such concerns for Root, who has started superbly and push-drives four more down the ground.
11:53 AM BST
Pope’s worrying trend
Ollie Pope out to a short ball, just as against Australia last year. It continues a worrying trend: Pope’s jittery starts. He has been out in 25 balls or fewer in 46% of innings - a particularly high number for a number three.
11:53 AM BST
OVER 10: ENG 46/2 (Duckett 23 Root 4)
Joe Root shows Ollie Pope an alternative way to manage risk and reward, working his first ball off the pads for an easy boundary. He is a delight. But those two wickets have vindicated Dhananjaya’s decision to bowl first. If they get two more before lunch they will be well on top.
Joe Root comes to the crease.
First ball. Four. pic.twitter.com/KGRc9lLF0s— England Cricket (@englandcricket) August 29, 2024
11:49 AM BST
Wicket!
Pope c de Silva b Asitha 1 Ollie Pope drowns in his own testosterone. He tried to pull a ball from Asitha v who has just changed ends to replace Rathnayeke – that moved away enough to ensure he couldn’t control the shot. It went straight up in the air and Dhananjaya de Silva calmly caught his opposite number. Pope has now made 13 runs in three innings as captain. Do we need to talk about Ollie? FOW: 42/2
Ollie Pope departs for just 1 😱 pic.twitter.com/MPjAnIXEzP
— Sky Sports Cricket (@SkyCricket) August 29, 2024
11:46 AM BST
OVER 9: ENG 39/1 (Duckett 20 Pope 1)
Kumara cuts Pope in half with a cracking delivery that roars back down the slope. He’s bowling just shy of 90mph, which is terrifyingly quick but feels almost inadequate because of what Mark Wood has been doing of late.
Pope tries to drive a very full delivery, misses and survives a huge caught behind appeal. Did his bat hit the ground? I think it did and that’s why Sri Lanka haven’t reviewed the decision. UltraEdge confirms as much.
Blistering stuff from Kumara, whose first two overs have included a wicket and at least four plays-and-misses.
11:41 AM BST
OVER 8: ENG 39/1 (Duckett 20 Pope 1)
Rathnayeke gets some late swing that beats everyone to give England four byes. Pope then gets off the mark with a shovel off the hip. Right now, the extra pace of Kumara is Sri Lanka’s main threat.
11:40 AM BST
Square pegs and round holes
Sorry but.... with reference to the Dan Lawrence dismissal, square pegs don’t go into round holes. He is a Test match number five. If he opens for England he will get past 50 maybe once every six or seven innings.
11:37 AM BST
OVER 7: ENG 33/1 (Duckett 19 Pope 0)
You have to say that Dan Lawrence didn’t look like a Test opener in that innings. Meanwhile, Pope is greeted by a snorter from Kumara that beats the outside edge. What a terrific first over.
Ollie Pope talked a lot about compartmentalising yesterday. Not sure Stokes would have admitted to a weakness so early on in his captaincy. It was refreshing honesty from Pope but he has highlighted something that is clearly bothering him.
11:36 AM BST
Wicket!
Lawrence c Madushka b Kumara 9 Goddim! Lahiru Kumara, Sri Lanka’s quickest bowler, strikes in his first over. Lawrence, who was beaten by a ripper earlier in the over, pushed at a good delivery with hard hands and snicked it through to the keeper. FOW: 33/1
There's the first wicket of the Test as Dan Lawrence departs as he edges Kumara behind! pic.twitter.com/wIGXFEp1MJ
— Sky Sports Cricket (@SkyCricket) August 29, 2024
11:30 AM BST
OVER 6: ENG 30/0 (Duckett 16 Lawrence 9)
Lawrence plays his best shot so far, a well timed push that beats the sprawling mid-on and runs away for four. We’re only six overs into the game, but it already feels like Sri Lanka are in urgent need of a wicket.
Come on you England batsmen. The record has stood for 122 years! Surely the record for England’s fastest Test hundred – 76 balls by Gilbert Jessop against Australia in 1902 – is going to be beaten some time, and when better than a day like this: hot, and a flat pitch, and a generous invitation to bat first. Ben Duckett is starting well...
11:26 AM BST
OVER 5: ENG 23/0 (Duckett 14 Lawrence 5)
We know Lawrence isn’t a natural opener and he looks a little tentative. He tries to drive Asitha, closes the face and drags through square leg for four. “That’s the Graeme Smith cover drive...” deadpans Mike Atherton on Sky.
The ball isn’t doing much and Dhananjaya de Silva may already be fearing the worst. Whatever happens, it surely won’t be as bad as it was for the Indian captain Mohammad Azharuddin on this ground in 1990. He put England in, Graham Gooch made 333 and England declared on 653/4.
11:22 AM BST
Meanwhile at Taunton...
Last week Rocky Flintoff made his first-class debut; today it’s the turn of Archie Vaughan, son of our own Michael. Good luck to him.
Congratulations on your First-Class debut @ArchieVaughan9! 👏👏👏👏#SOMvDUR#WeAreSomerset pic.twitter.com/naprn6QghJ
— Somerset Cricket 🏆 (@SomersetCCC) August 29, 2024
11:21 AM BST
OVER 4: ENG 19/0 (Duckett 14 Lawrence 1)
Sri Lanka’s promising start is threatening to unravel. Rathnayeke spears his first ball down the leg side for four byes, which makes it 16 runs from the last seven balls.
He tightens up after that, bowling an excellent stump-to-stump line. Lawrence gets off the mark with a single to leg.
11:17 AM BST
OVER 3: ENG 14/0 (Duckett 14 Lawrence 0)
You can only keep Ben Duckett quiet for so long. In this case, two overs. He drives Asitha’s first two deliveries for four through cover point and mid-off, the second a particularly good shot, and then dabs skifully past backward point for his third boundary. The fastest-scoring opener in Test history is off and running.
11:12 AM BST
A landmark day at Lord’s
For the FIRST TIME EVER, Jerusalem @HomeOfCricket 🗣️#ENGvSL pic.twitter.com/Hzbca4t7Y3
— England's Barmy Army 🏴🎺 (@TheBarmyArmy) August 29, 2024
11:11 AM BST
OVER 2: ENG 2/0 (Duckett 2 Lawrence 0)
Milan Rathnayeke, playing his second Test, has graduated to the new ball. He too makes an excellent start, giving Duckett no width at all. Just a single off the last ball, forced past point.
11:06 AM BST
OVER 1: ENG 1/0 (Duckett 1 Lawrence 0)
A good, accurate start from Asitha, who has an LBW appeal turned down when Lawrence misses a nipbacker. Too high. The first hour should be a good test of Lawrence’s defensive technique.
Incidentally, Nishan Madushka is keeping wicket in this game, which suggests Dinesh Chandimal has a slight problem with the thumb that was struck by Mark Wood last Friday.
Second toss Ollie Pope has lost and second time Sri Lanka have done what he wanted. Last week they batted first and were six for three after giving England first use of the conditions, this week they opted to bowl and let England bat on a sunny day in August. They say you need luck as a captain…
11:01 AM BST
Time for action
It really does look like a perfect batting day. We’re about to find out whether Dhananjaya de Silva, who choose to bowl first, is a genius or a madman.
Asitha Fernando, who bowled beautifully at Old Trafford at times, will open to Ben Duckett.
10:49 AM BST
Geoffrey Boycott’s preview: Mind the slope
Click here to view this content.
10:39 AM BST
A baffling decision
Pretty baffled by Sri Lanka’s decision to bowl first, especially as you’d think that the wicket could take turn later in the Test. Perhaps they are expecting early new-ball assistance. England chose to bowl first last summer in the Ashes Test, though under cloudy conditions – and they lost.
10:34 AM BST
The teams
Lahiru Kumara does indeed replace Vishwa Fernando, so these are the confirmed XIs.
England Duckett, Lawrence, Pope (c), Root, Brook, Smith (wk), Woakes, Atkinson, Potts, Stone, Bashir.
Sri Lanka Karunaratne, Madushka (wk), Nissanka, Mathews, Chandimal, de Silva (c), Kamindu Mendis, Rathnayeke, Jayasuriya, A Fernando, Kumara.
10:31 AM BST
Sri Lanka win the toss and bowl
I beg your pardon? That’s a really surprising decision on what looks a very good pitch. If England get through to lunch unscathed, it could be a long day for Sri Lanka.
Ollie Pope says England would have batted, so everyone’s happy.
Sri Lanka win the toss and choose to bowl first in the second Test 🏏 pic.twitter.com/bgl5upeCMw
— Sky Sports Cricket (@SkyCricket) August 29, 2024
10:08 AM BST
The return of Olly Stone
Olly Stone has played only three Tests in his 30 years but he has already won his spurs in some eyes. In Chennai in his second Test he bust a gut in ferocious heat in an attempt to keep Joe Root’s winning run as captain going. England lost, and the rot set in, but it was through no fault of Stone.
Olly Stone on what has motivated to get him back into Test Cricket for England after injuries 🏏 pic.twitter.com/TpcObigmyu
— Sky Sports Cricket (@SkyCricket) August 29, 2024
10:07 AM BST
Good morning
Hello, good morning and welcome to Telegraph Sport’s live, over-by-over coverage of the second Test between England and Sri Lanka at Lord’s. It’s gonna be a hot one: north London has been an oven for the last couple of days, and the forecast is for more of the same. This should make Sri Lanka, who played excellently at Old Trafford, even more competitive. The weather is more humane and there’s every chance the pitch will break up on the last couple of days for their crafty spinner Prabath Jayasuriya.
Before that, there should be some pretty hard yakka for the bowlers. Lord’s + sunshine usually equals runs, lots of runs. In the absence of Ben Stokes and the injured Mark Wood, who will be replaced by Olly Stone, England’s attack lacks experience. Take out Chris Woakes (and Joe Root) and the bowlers have fewer than 100 Test wickets between them. This isn’t necessarily a bad thing: ahead of the ultimate tests against India and Australia next year, England want as many different experiences and challenges as possible.
Stone for Wood is the only change from Old Trafford, where England eventually hobbled over the line to win by five wickets. Sri Lanka could bring in the rapid Lahiru Kumara for Vishka Fernando, while Pathum Nissanka will definitely replace Kusal Mendis at No3. Nissanka is an accomplished player, more reliable, but when Mendis comes off he can be devastating.
Let’s not get carried away about Sri Lanka’s chances: England are still strong favourites to win here and at The Oval next week to make it six out of six this summer. Against that, Sri Lanka haven’t lost in London since 1991, a remarkable statistic, and it doesn’t take a leap of faith to imagine how they can win this game. Bat first, score 550, then let scoreboard pressure and a wearing pitch do their thing. England’s victory template is pretty much the same.
The match starts at 11am, with the toss at 10.30am.
We are ready for the Test 😍#LoveLords | #EngvSL pic.twitter.com/dOjEK8w4UE
— Lord's Cricket Ground (@HomeOfCricket) August 29, 2024
