ENG v PAK, 2nd Test Day 1 Review: Joe Root claims spoils

Joe Root slammed a wonderfully compiled and unbeaten 141 as England well and truly claimed the spoils on Day 1 of the second Test. Playing in pristine batting conditions at Old Trafford, Manchester. Although the match had just begun, the home side was chasing the game in a broader scheme of things courtesy of their 75-run loss in the first Test at Lords.

Having won the toss, Alastair Cook had absolutely no doubts in his mind about batting first. Clear skies and a good batting wicket coupled with a sell-out crowd and the occasional cosplay, it was perfect for the home side. More importantly, however, it was a perfect setting to play a game of cricket.

Mohammad Amir began the proceedings for Pakistan with Misbah-ul-Haq choosing to go in with the youngster in spite of his weak performance at Lords. The faith paid off as Amir soon found his higher gears and began to cause problems for the England opening pair of Alastair Cook and Alex Hales.

Amir’s steadfastness and exuberance would soon pay off as Alex Hales would eventually falter by playing down the wrong line. A peach of a delivery, an in-swinger of sorts, saw the defenses of a bamboozled Alex Hales well and truly breached. The delivery, presumably at express pace rattled into the stumps of a clueless Alex Hales as a rejuvenated Amir breathed a sigh of relief.
In spite of the early wicket, the work as far as Pakistan was concerned was far from over. England, on the other hand, had perhaps their best and more importantly, their most reliable batsmen at the middle in the form of skipper Cook and Joe Root. As is typical of Joe Root’s innings construction, he began to play the left-handed seam trio of Pakistan with respect before he got out of his shell and begin playing the shots everyone knew he was absolutely capable of.

Although Root was at the wicket a long while shorter as compared to Cook, the former completed his half-century in just 95 deliveries before Cook himself completed yet another 50 plus score. Cook would soon go on to weather the storm and complete a well-deserved century as well as stitch a mammoth and a valuable 185 run partnership with Joe Root. The 31-year old southpaw was eventually dismissed by Mohammad Amir, with the latter picking up Cook’s wicket yet again. Joe Root, however, remained solid despite the fall of the wicket as he went on to reach his century.

However, Root began to run out of top-order partners when James Vince failed to shine with the bat yet again as he fell to the wily Rahat Ali for 14. In spite of providing decent company to Joe Root, Gary Ballance fell for a well-made 23. Chris Woakes was sent in as the nightwatchman for the day as the home side concluded on 314/4 in 89 overs. Yasir Shah, the hero of the first Test and number one ranked bowler in the world went wicket-less on day 1, a shocking side note for all of those keeping score.

Brief Scores

England 1st Innings: 314/4 (J Root 141*; M Amir 2/63)