10000 Test Runs

Joe Root is the newest member of the 10000 Test runs club. He passed the 10000 run landmark while scoring a peerless 115* in England’s 5 wicket defeat of New Zealand at Lord’s.

This was Joe’s twenty-sixth century and third at home against New Zealand. It was also a priceless century – without doubt it won the opening Test for England.

Over the four days of this Test match, the advantage swung back and forth session by session.

By the afternoon of the third day, England had slumped to 69-4. New Zealand were in the ascendancy and the target of 277 for victory was a distant prospect.

When Joe was joined by debutant Test captain Ben Stokes (54), England started to rebuild. The Root-Stokes combination added 90 invaluable runs before Ben’s positive innings came to an end.

Joe, with the able support of Ben Foakes (32*), set about reaching the target and winning the Test for England.

At the close of Day 3, England were 216-5.

A murky and tense fourth day morning welcomed Joe and Foakes. England still required 61 runs, while Joe needed 23 for his century and 10000 Test runs.

Joe confidently went about winning the Test, his century coming off 157 balls.

A matter of minutes latter Joe left the field to rousing applause, with a century, 10000 Test runs and an England win in the bag.

(PhoenixMedia Image Created from a Photo by Gareth Copley/Getty Images)