ENG vs NZ: Joe Root hits Tim Southee for six with stunning reverse scoop
Former England skipper Joe Root was in great touch during the first Test against New Zealand as he walked off with a century in the final innings of the game, and continued to trouble the opposition bowlers as he carried the momentum into the second Test by hitting yet another century. During the course of his stellar knock, he smashed Tim Southee for a six with a stunning reverse scoop shot.
Root hit the incredible swing shot when he was batting on 164. He reverse-scooped Southee over the third man boundary off a delivery that was thrown at a good pace by the New Zealander outside the off-stump. Root perfectly placed the shot and startled the opposition with his unique hit that traveled for a six.
Joe Root breaks multiple records with his classic centuries
While Root was anticipated to pass 200 runs on Day 4, he ended his innings scoring 176 runs off 211 deliveries, which consisted of 26 fours and just one six. Root broke barriers and achieved laurels in this match as he went past Sunil Gavaskar and Younis Khan to become the 12th highest run-getter in the longest and traditional format of the game.
Root smashed a century and became the 14th batter to reach 10,000 runs in Test cricket during the first Test at the Lord’s Cricket Ground. Thanks to his brilliant knock, England defeated New Zealand to win the match by five wickets and took a 1-0 lead in the series. Root is now the second-highest run-scorer for the English side in the Test format, after Sir Alastair Cook.
Speaking of the game, before Root’s dismissal, New Zealand pacer Trent Boult had managed to pick three wickets in the form of Zak Crawley, Ollie Pope, and Jonny Bairstow. With four wickets under his belt, Boult went on to dismiss lower-order batter Matthew Potts and bagged a five-wicket haul, thereby giving his team a crucial 14-run lead in the first innings.
This being the fourth day of the game, England will look to dish out New Zealand before time and then chase the score in order to win the game and clinch the series on the final day.
