SUPER SKIPPER HAPPY TO RIDE HIS LUCK

JOE ROOT admitted he had ridden his luck after surviving three dismissals to score 184 on his first day as England’s Test captain. Root should have been caught on five and 16, and was stumped off a Keshav Maharaj no-ball on 149, after his team had slipped to 76 for four. ‘I thought I’d hit it straight to him,’ he said on top-edging Kagiso Rabada just over the head of Aiden Markram at fine leg on five. ‘It could have been very different.’ And he took particular delight in avoiding the Maharaj stumping, having never previously been out to a no-ball from a spinner. ‘It’s a nice feeling getting that call back,’ he said. ‘It was pretty special. I’m in a bit of a dream world. ‘At times I rode my luck, but it was one of those days when everything seemed to fall into place. When you get a life early, you feel like it is your day and you’ve got to make the most of it.’