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Sri Lanka v England: Joe Root says Pallekele hundred could be his best

Last updated on .From the section Cricketcomments69

Joe Root and Ben Foakes
Joe Root notched his 15th Test century and his first as captain away from home in Pallekele

England captain Joe Root says his 124 against Sri Lanka in Pallekele could be the best of his 15 Test centuries.

Root reached three figures on the third day of the second Test as his side made it to 324-9 at stumps - a lead of 278 over the hosts on a tricky surface.

The 27-year-old's knock is the highest by an England captain in Sri Lanka.

"You have to enjoy good days because there are plenty when it doesn't go your way," Root, whose side lead 1-0 in the three-match series, told BBC Sport.

Asked if he felt the century was his best, Root said: "It's hard to compare but it definitely feels like that at the moment.

"On a surface like that, where at times you can feel very vulnerable, it was very enjoyable."

The ton is Root's first away from home since replacing Alastair Cook as Test captain in February 2017.

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'Trust your own game'

After a frenetic start, Root played a bold innings, taking on the Sri Lanka spinners on a pitch that offered variable bounce.

He was well supported by the middle order, putting on 74 with Jos Buttler and 82 with wicketkeeper Ben Foakes.

"The strong message to the group going into today was 'trust your own game'. If you want to take positive options, then go and do it," Root said.

"The really pleasing thing is guys are really clear about where they want to score their runs and they weren't afraid to go and maybe take some unconventional shots on to do it."

Root's side are searching for a first overseas Test series victory since 2016, and their first series win in Sri Lanka for 17 years.

Play was curtailed early by lightning and heavy rain, with the match set to begin early at 04:15 GMT on Saturday.

"It'll be interesting to see how the pitch plays with this amount of rain tonight," Root added.

"You don't know how it will change the surface."

'Get that innings on DVD' - analysis

Ex-England captain Michael Vaughan on The Cricket Social:

What an innings that is from Joe Root. He played spin positively for over four hours of batting, with great foot movement, sweeps, creating angles.

If I was a coach, I would be getting that on a DVD and showing kids the way to play spin on a spinning wicket.

Root is easily up there with England's top five ever in terms of being watchable.

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69 comments

  • Comment posted by Pedee, at 13:32 16 Nov 2018

    In Asia. As captain. With the team in trouble throughout his innings. It's definitely one of his best. Well done Joe. Worse choice of the innings was allowing Stokes to review a plumb lbw

  • Comment posted by Vox Populi, at 16:17 16 Nov 2018

    @12. Do you think Woakes would average 40 batting at No 3 or No 5? I like him but I don't think so.

    If Stokes was dropped for his batting, he'd be replaced by a full batsman & next cab off the rank is Bairstow. After that...Hales, Jason Roy? Recall for Gary Ballance? If there was an outstanding candidate for this number 3 slot they would not be trying the likes of Moeen, Stokes & Buttler there.

  • Comment posted by U16912552, at 17:27 16 Nov 2018

    Chuffed to rocks we have a player and human being like you Joe.
    You are still learning the role of captain at the highest levels and by hook or by crook you led us to a 4:1 series victory over India, which was far from easy, and here you are doing a great job again.

    Excellent century today. I loved the six hitting and keep up playing just the way you do.

    You choose, and stay at FOUR.

  • Comment posted by jerry12953, at 17:23 16 Nov 2018

    If only there was some way we in the UK (other than sky subscribers....) could watch at least part of that innings .........

  • Comment posted by D1679301751159, at 13:38 16 Nov 2018

    The best I’ve seen him play. Excellent knock. In these conditions against an all-spin attack bar a few overs from Lakmal it was a special knock. Burns and Foakes were also fanastic, hope Foakes and Anderson can add some more runs m.

  • Comment posted by Wooster, at 14:16 16 Nov 2018

    Good ol' Rooty. More often than not, he comes good in the end. He still averages 51 which is far and away the highest in the team (minimum of 20 innings).

  • Comment posted by perfidiousalbion, at 19:13 16 Nov 2018

    Marvellous innings. May silence the detractors for a while. Not by any means in a safe winning position but probably good for the game. The brainless use of the reviews cost us later with Mo and Adil however. Shame

  • Comment posted by artdecade, at 19:07 16 Nov 2018

    Sublime innings from the skip...which now begs the question? How does he compare with the greatest roots of all-time?.....Square, canal, tree, beet or of all evil... any other suggestions, answers on a postcard please.

  • Comment posted by J Felix-Languar, at 14:41 16 Nov 2018

    @ davidjm

    Do you still think Eoin Morgan should be dropped from the ODI team too?

  • Comment posted by Stu, at 20:14 16 Nov 2018

    Great innings from the skipper. He was due, which should be a lesson to all of us who are very quick to judge these guys - me included.

    Form is indeed temporary but class is permanent.

    I'd still like to see him at 3 but if he's got a thing about batting 4 then I think we should just accept it for the good of the team.

  • Comment posted by J Felix-Languar, at 14:47 16 Nov 2018

    @9 davidjm

    Lol.

  • Comment posted by gfourb, at 18:50 16 Nov 2018

    @30 read the scorecard.. he came in at 4 and Stokes was 5

  • Comment posted by Harvey_the_white, at 18:23 16 Nov 2018

    Nice to see Root convert 50 to 100, his conversion stats are not the best

    Should bat at 4 as the rock of our innings

    Solid lower order again to get the team into a winning position

  • Comment posted by Joff Cardiff City, at 15:24 16 Nov 2018

    Michael Vaughan has too much to say ,so annoying

    Well done Root 😀

  • Comment posted by toe2toe, at 23:43 16 Nov 2018

    Some of you are too harsh on Stokes. He needs more of a chance at no. 3.

    As for Root well played but this is the weakest Sri Lankan attack in years. If he did this against the attack with Murali and Co then he would be right to say it was one of his best.

  • Comment posted by Agammonmemnon, at 21:25 16 Nov 2018

    Well played Joe, but I can't help but feel he should move up to three. He's always in soon enough anyway since our number 3's don't hang around.

  • Comment posted by perfidiousalbion, at 19:18 16 Nov 2018

    @34 sorry but that's a specious argument. It's perfectly possiblyvto score a fabulous innings (even ones best) in a losing cause....

  • Comment posted by Cricket Lover 03, at 14:30 16 Nov 2018

    Form is temporary class is permanent. Root is certainly the latter and today showed why. . Wonder what odds you could get at the bookies for Root to top Cook as top England's leading Test run scorer? Not good I would have thought.

  • Comment posted by Stewp0t, at 21:26 16 Nov 2018

    @ 25.

    I thin i'll listen to the educated and knowledgable cricketing fraternity when it comes to Root's ability....

    .....rather that a sofa-lounging 'know it all' with, most likely, zero cricketing talent.....

  • Comment posted by thehartfactor, at 02:38 17 Nov 2018

    As a Yorkshireman, I questioned if Joe Root was mature enough. What a fool I have proven to have been. I am NOT talking about the runs scored I am talking about his ability to manage the team. The runs are natural to him, completely different technique to Geoff Boycott, but typical hardworking individual. A personal apology for thinking he was not mature enough. Do not like been wrong BUT I was.

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