Joe Root equals Ricky Ponting’s record for third-most Test centuries during Ashes final
The right-handed batter scored his 41st Test hundred at the Sydney Cricket Ground on Monday, achieving the milestone in his 163rd Test match.
The right-handed batter scored his 41st Test hundred at the Sydney Cricket Ground on Monday, achieving the milestone in his 163rd Test match.
The world’s top-ranked Test batter had endured three previous Ashes tours Down Under without tasting success, but that personal drought finally ended as England chased down a target of 175 in a dramatic two-day contest.
With the opening Test in Perth starting November 21, Root has again become a focal point in local discussions, especially given that he has yet to score a Test century in Australia.
Root heads into the series holding a firm lead at the top of the ICC Test batting rankings, but the seasoned campaigner has yet to conquer one of his biggest hurdles, performing consistently against Australia away from home.
While Root is winless in Tests against the Aussies away from home across 14 previous contests, it's the fact he has never scored a century on Australian shores that still concerns the 34-year-old heading into this year's tour.
The 3- 1 margin, truth to tell, takes on a whole new meaning when you reckon with the fact that England, for much of their time on the tour, missed some of their front-rank cricketers because of a viral infection which going by reliable accounts had reporters from London discussing, even if somewhat fancifully, which ones among them stood a chance of being invited to join the squad, just in case.
Wood first struck three sixes and two fours as he scored 35 as part of an extraordinary last-wicket stand of 82 with Stuart Broad.
Joe Root stayed at the team hotel while the players sweated it out on the field for the third Test of the four-match series which will begin on January 22.
Sibley, playing in only his fourth Test, came in during the morning session after James Anderson had picked up the last two South African wickets to finish with 5-40 and give England a first-innings lead of 46.
It was his fifth catch of the innings, all held at second slip.
