England skipper scores massive ton to put hosts in a commanding position at 357 for five on Day One of the first Test against South Africa at Lord's
England skipper Joe Root is ecstatic after reaching his century against SA on Day One of the first Test at Lord's yesterday. Pic/AFP
Joe Root made the most of his good fortune and substantial skill too as he marked his first day as Test captain with a century England badly needed against South Africa at Lord's.
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Root (184 not out) might easily have fallen to Kagiso Rabada on five or 16 on his way to and well beyond a 150-ball century which contained 15 fours and aided his team's recovery after Vernon Philander had taken three early wickets.
South Africa had England 17 for two, and then 76 for four. But the tourists simply did not help themselves, and Root very much did in century stands for the fifth and sixth wickets with Ben Stokes (56) and Moeen Ali (61no) in a stumps total of 357 for five in this first Investec Test.
Moeen Ali celebrates his half century against South Africa at Lord's yesterday. Pic/AFP
England win toss
Root, who won the toss on a glorious day, responded to early travails to complete his 12th century in his 54th Test.
He found himself in the middle much sooner than he doubtless hoped as Philander nipped out both openers cheaply, but went on to become the sixth England captain in Test history to make a hundred in his first innings in charge. Philander struck in his second and third overs as Root's captaincy predecessor Alastair Cook and then Keaton Jennings succumbed, as did Jonny Bairstow after Gary Ballance fell to Morne Morkel.
On a pitch tinged with green and providing good carry, Cook went caught-behind when Philander got one to run down the slope for an outside edge as England's all-time record runscorer pushed out slightly away from his body on the back foot.
The circumstances of England's second early departure were regrettable.Umpire Sundaram Ravi took his time before giving Jennings out lbw pushing forward.
The opener consulted Ballance at the non-striker's end, but neither opted for a review which would have reprieved Jennings both on the basis that the ball pitched outside leg-stump and was not going on to hit it either.
Root's first slice of luck against SA's first-change fast bowler came when he failed to control a hook only to see the ball sail just over substitute fielder Aiden Markram at long-leg yet still bounce inside the rope.
Morkel bang on target
Morkel kept testing Ballance with a full length and got one in the right place from round the wicket to win another lbw verdict from umpire Ravi, England compounding their earlier blunder on DRS by this time opting for a review which merely confirmed the ball would have thudded into leg-stump.
Root therefore had a second Yorkshire ally for company, and soon his second escape off Rabada too - spearing a drive on the up straight through JP Duminy's hands above his head at gully. But 10 minutes before lunch, Philander struck in his second spell when he pinned Bairstow lbw on the back foot.
England reached much calmer waters in a wicketless afternoon, during which Stokes had a let-off too.
He was beaten for pace on 44 when Morkel jagged one into him to lift the leg-bail via an inside-edge but survived because of a big overstep for no-ball — and SA saw the ball speed away for four streaky byes too.
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