Root & Burns score centuries as England reach 269/5 in 1st innings in 2nd test against NZ

Speed Post News Network

Patna : Captain Joe Root, 28, and opener Rory Burns, 29, scored centuries as England reached 269/5 in 99.4 overs at stumps on Day 3 in their first innings in 2nd test against New Zealand at Seddon Park, Hamilton, New Zealand, on December 1, 2019. New Zealand still trail by 106 runs. New Zealand were all out for 375 in 129.1 overs in their first innings on Day 2 with opener Tom Latham scoring 105.

Resuming at their overnight score of 39/2, England lost their third wicket that of opener Rory Burns at 201. Rory was run out  for 101 in 209 balls with 15 fours, his 2nd test century. He and Joe Root added 177 runs for the third wicket. All-rounder Ben Stokes fell to pacer Tim Southee for 26 in 59 balls with 4 fours making it 245/4. Debutant Zak Crawley fell to fast bowler Neil Wagner for 1 and it was 262/5

Joe Root was unbeaten on 114 in 278 balls with 14 fours, his 17th century, while Ollie Pope was 4 not out at stumps on Day 3 as play was called off due to rain with 16 overs of play still left. It was Joe Root’s first test century in 15 innings after a gap of nine months. He reached his century with a boundary off Neil Wagner, his 20th in the innings. In fact, Root hit Wagner for 3 fours in that over.

For NZ, Tim Southee took 2/63 in 26 overs while Matt Henry and Neil Wagner have taken one wicket each.