Root becomes England’s greatest test centurion with 34th century at Lord’s

LONDON: Joe Root etched his name in cricket history on Saturday, becoming England’s greatest Test centurion by scoring his 34th Test century in the second match against Sri Lanka at Lord’s. Root surpassed Sir Alastair Cook’s record of 33 centuries, solidifying his place as one of the finest batsmen in the game’s longest format.

England, in a commanding position, set Sri Lanka a daunting target of 483 to level the three-match series. The visitors ended day three at 53-2, leaving them with a monumental task on the final two days. Root, who had already matched Cook’s record with a brilliant 143 in the first innings, reached his second century of the match with a boundary, finishing on 102.

With Sri Lanka facing a near-impossible chase, Root’s performance has all but sealed the series for England. The highest successful run chase in Test cricket remains the West Indies’ 418 against Australia in 2003, underscoring the challenge that lies ahead for the visitors at Lord’s.