Joe Root scores a fascinating Double Century

New Zealand vs England, Day 4 of 2nd Test:

New Zealand: 375 and 96/2 (34 overs)
England: 476 all out
Day 4: New Zealand trail by 5 runs with 8 wickets still remaining in the innings.

Joe Root and Ollie Pope kept up their firm partnership from Day 3 to Day 4. The pair took a stand of 193 runs together. Wicketkeeper-batsman Ollie Pope scored 75 runs from 202 balls with 6 fours. Jofra Archer scored 8 runs, while Sam Curran remained not out for 11 runs. Stuart Broad and Chris Woakes lost their wickets for none.

Joe Root scores a fascinating Double Century

England finished on 476 runs after batting for 162.5 overs in their first innings. Neil Wagner claimed 5 wickets for 124 runs in 35.5 overs. Tim Southee took 2 for 90 runs from his 37 overs. Mitchell Santner and Matt Henry took 1 wicket each for their team.

New Zealand will resume their batting from 96/2 in their second innings on the last day of the match. Ross Taylor and skipper Kane Williamson are standing firm with an unbeaten partnership of 68 runs. Jeet Raval lost his wicket for a duck as he got lbw by Sam Curran, while Tom Latham scored 18 runs from 29 balls before getting caught by Root at wide slip on Chris Woakes’ delivery.

Joe Root’s scores his third double-hundred:

Joe Root made his way into the top ten run-scorers in England’s Test history with his third double-ton. Root contributed 226 runs after facing 441 balls during his innings. Root struck 22 fours and a six before losing his wicket to Mitchell Santner. In terms of English batsmen, only Wally Hammond, Alastair Cook, and Len Hutton have scored more double-tons than Root.

It was also Root’s highest individual score since his 190 runs against South Africa in 2017.