Joe Root leapfrogs legendary Brian Lara and past 12,000 Test match runs for England
Root’s 14th run took him past Lara’s career mark of 11,953 Test runs, and his 60th made him the seventh player to reach 12,000.
Root is the only active player on that list and it is only a matter of time before he overhauls fifth-placed Sir Alastair Cook’s 12,472 to become the top-scoring Englishman.
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Hide AdThe Sheffield-born batter, inset, eventually fell 13 short of his ton, Gudakesh Motie’s left-arm spin finally finding a way through his defences to trap him plumb in front with a sliver of turn.


England new boy Jamie Smith, meanwhile, promised to continue playing fearless cricket after facing down a bouncer barrage from the West Indies on his way to a game-changing 95.
The Surrey wicketkeeper’s innings was the difference between the teams on day two, with the home side’s first-innings lead of 94 almost exactly matching his contribution from No 8.
It was a second striking performance in four innings since the 24-year-old was catapulted into the side ahead of Jonny Bairstow and Ben Foakes, and all the more notable given the circumstances.
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Hide AdEngland were still 51 behind when he came to the crease but his bold strokeplay quickly turned things around, particularly when the tourists decided to test him with a burst of short stuff.
Seamer Jayden Seales revealed Smith had been marked down as a “compulsive hooker” in the away dressing room but their attempts to expose a weakness fell flat.
Instead Smith responded with pulls and hooks, launching a huge six over the Eric Hollies Stand and cashing in after tea as the bumpers continued. “I guess it’s nice to have to set it out quite early on in your career, that you are someone who’s going to go out and be positive, not afraid of opposition,” Smith said.
“Moving forward, you’re not just that sitting target. People are going to come and attack you and you’re going to go and attack them.”
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Hide AdSmith was calm about missing out on a maiden Test hundred by just five runs, content instead to have helped shape the game in England’s favour and played one utterly unforgettable shot.
He had scored just nine when he launched Alzarri Joseph for a monster six, high and handsome over the Eric Hollies Stand. He also sent one out of Lord’s on his debut earlier this month and is making waves as a big-hitter.
“It’s a great memory to look back on,” he said.
“Hopefully that’s a trend moving forward because that means I’m probably moving the right direction. When I come back here with Surrey, it’ll be something to brag about to a few of the lads as well.
“If anyone said to me at the start of the day you’ve got 95, I’m definitely taking that. I’m a little bit gutted, I guess, and I’m sure I will be in a couple of days, looking back on missing out on only five runs. But milestones aside, it was great to put in a performance for team.”