Root posts back-to-back centuries but England still trail Sri Lanka

JOE ROOT produced another masterpiece of sub-continental batting with a wonderful century that carried the England cause almost single-handedly in the second Test at Galle.

Root might have been brought up in Sheffield but he has never looked more at home than in Sri Lanka, where he followed his relentless 228 in the series opener with a knock of 186 from same elite level.

The England captain had never before hit hundreds in back-to-back matches, but there was an air of inevitability about his 19th Test ton, with his team endlessly grateful for his stocks of class and concentration across 309 balls.

There was a physical price to pay in the sapping heat, with the 30-yearold visibly suffering from fatigue, cramp and a late back spasm.

It was tiredness which eventually cost him in the final over of the day, run out from short-leg as his stiff legs struggled to make the turn before Oshada Fernando threw down the stumps.

That left England 339 for nine, still 42 behind, heading into the fourth morning. Without Root, England would surely have been staring at a vast deficit and the likelihood of certain defeat at some point in the next 48 hours.

That may still happen, but Root’s outright brilliance restored the balance of the contest and his presence in the fourth innings cannot be overlooked.

Sweeping

Resuming on 67 overnight, he added another 119, sweeping and reverse sweeping with impunity and also adding a new eye-catching trick to his repertoire. At one point in the morning session he channelled his inner Kevin Pietersen, flipping his hands and stance to attempt the lesser spotted ‘switch hit’. The ball pinged out of the middle of the bat and raced to the ropes and gave him enough confidence to repeat the trick twice more.

Pietersen was one of three star names Root surpassed to go fourth on England’s all-time run-scorer list over the past two days, joining Geoffrey Boycott and David Gower.

On another day Lasith Embuldeniya would already be a match-winner. With both openers already in his back pocket on Saturday evening, he added the scalps of Jonny Bairstow, Dan Lawrence, Sam Curran, Dom Bess and Mark Wood to claim seven for 132.

Root’s march from 100 to 150 took him 118 deliveries but he has made that conversion on eight prior occasions and knows the terrain.

When he finally offered up a chance he had 172, nicking a flatter one from Embuldeniya to slip, but Lahiru Thirimanne caused dismay by failing to get a clean hand on the catch.