NZ vs ENG: Joe Root misses out on twin centuries
Joe Root put up a batting exhibition in the second and final Test against New Zealand, albeit in a losing cause. The former England skipper backed his unbeaten 224-ball 153 from the first innings with a 113-ball 95. This would have been the first instance of Root smashing twin centuries in a Test. Here we decode the key stats.
Root continues his love affair with NZ
Batting first, England were reduced to 21/3 when Root and Harry Brook (186) steadied the ship with a 302-run stand for the fourth wicket. Root remained unbeaten on 153 as the visitors went past the 400-run mark. In England's chase of 258 runs, Root arrived at number five with the scorecard reading 59/3. He batted with remarkable intent and ended up scoring 95.
Missed out on this feat
Root missed out on becoming the 12th England batter to smash twin centuries in a Test match. He would have joined Jack Russell, Herbert Sutcliffe, Wally Hammond, Eddie Paynter, Denis Compton, Graham Gooch, Alec Stewart, Michael Vaughan, Marcus Trescothick, Andrew Strauss and Jonny Bairstow in the elite list. Sutcliffe is the only England batter to accomplish the feat twice.
Second-highest run-getter in Tests versus NZ
With 1,707 runs in 18 Tests at 55.06, Root is now the second-highest run-getter in Tests versus the Kiwis. Only Pakistan's Javed Miandad (1,919) is ahead of him. Root has also displaced John Wright (1,518) as the highest run-getter in England vs New Zealand Tests. Root tallies 919 runs at 57.43 and 788 runs at 52.53 in home and away Tests versus NZ.
England's second-highest run-getter in Tests
Root has now raced to 10,948 runs at 50.22 (100s: 29, 50s: 57). Five of his tons were converted into double-centuries. His tally of 14 Test scores of 150 or more is the highest for an England batter. Meanwhile, among England batters, only Alastair Cook (12,472) owns more Test runs. Only Steve Smith (30) has Test centuries than Root among active players.
2nd-most international tons among active players
Root, who also owns 16 ODI tons, now boasts 45 centuries in international cricket. He equaled Australian opener David Warner in this regard. Among active players, only Virat Kohli boasts more international tons (74). Meanwhile, no other England player owns more international centuries than Root. With 38 centuries, former England skipper Cook trails him on this list.
How did the match pan out?
Put to bat at the Basin Reserve in Wellington, England declared at 435/8 with Root and Harry Brook smoking centuries. In reply, the home team was bundled out for 209 with pacer Stuart Broad claiming four wickets. However, NZ bounced back while following on and posted 483. Kane Williamson scored 132. Chasing 258, England agonizingly fell short and suffered a one-run defeat.
