England batter Joe Root goes equal with Kane Williamson and Steve Smith

Nottingham: England batter Joe Root has gone on par with Steve Smith and Kane Williamson when he hit his 32nd Test century against West Indies on day four of the ongoing second Test at Trent Bridge on Sunday.

Root’s 32nd Test ton came in the 158th ball of his innings during England’s second innings in Nottingham, where he eventually made 122 off 178 balls, laced with ten fours, to help the hosts’ go past 400. It is also his 19th Test century on home soil With this, he has now equalled with Australia’s Smith and New Zealand’s Williamson on Test century count, as well as level with former Australia skipper Steve Waugh, who hit 32 tons in the format. Root’s feat came in his 142nd Test, taking him one behind Alastair Cook (33 centuries) in the all-time hundreds list for England. This was the second time he had reached the three-figure mark in Tests in 2024, after his unbeaten 122 against India at Ranchi in February.

The right-handed batter has also became the eighth-highest run-getter in Test cricket, going past the likes of Mahela Jayawardene (11,814) and West Indies’ Shivnarine Chanderpaul (11,867). Root now has 11,940 Test runs at an average of 49.95, including 32 centuries and 62 fifties.

Meanwhile  England set West Indies a victory target of 385 at tea on the fourth day of the second test at Trent Bridge on Sunday. England were all out 425 in their second innings.Root made 122, his 32nd test hundred, after Harry Brook plundered a rapid 109 to give the hosts a good chance of sealing victory in the three-test series. (IANS)

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