England skipper Joe Root's masterful 180 not out, his second consecutive Test hundred and fifth this year led the hosts into a slight first-innings lead against India at Lord's on Saturday. Root's near nine-hour innings in the second Test was the cornerstone of England's 391, 27 runs ahead of India's first-innings 364. He faced 321 balls, with 18 fours before James Anderson was bowled by Mohammed Shami off the last ball of the third day's play. Root had been the only England batsman to pass fifty in the rain-marred drawn first Test of this five-match series at Trent Bridge last week with innings of 64 and 109.
On Saturday, however, he was ably supported in a fourth-wicket partnership of 121 by Jonny Bairstow until his Yorkshire team-mate gave his innings away on 57. England resumed on 119-3, a deficit of 245, and was again left looking to Root, 48 not out overnight, after opener Rory Burns had fallen for a well-made 49.
At 23-2, Root had walked into bat with England having lost their second wicket before reaching 50 for the 15th time in 19 Test innings this year. Mohammed Siraj had done the damage, removing Dom Sibley and Haseeb Hameed, out for a first-ball nought, with successive deliveries on his way to 4-94 in 30 overs. Root, however, square-drove Siraj for a stylish four on Saturday to complete an 82-ball fiftyBairstow, who started the day on six not out, struck commanding straight-driven fours off Mohammed Shami and Siraj en route to a 90-ball fifty.
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