Joe Root, Alastair Cook make centuries in England's 1st day-night test vs West Indies
Birmingham: Joe Root and Alastair Cook marked England's first foray into day-night test cricket with centuries, leading the home team to 348-3 against the West Indies on Day 1 of the series-opener.
The captain and former captain eased
Root made 136 and Cook was not out on 153 at stumps yesterday, which were called just after 9.30 pm (local time) at a flood-lit Edgbaston. Their stand overcame some trying early times in the first day-night test in
But helped by some wayward bowling by the West Indian attack, Root and Cook negotiated the pink ball with ease. Root hit 22 fours, collecting 88 of his runs in boundaries.
Cook was equally adept at dispatching the regular flow of bad balls to the boundary with 92 of his runs coming from 23 fours. On his way to his 13th test century, Root also became only the sixth man to score a half-century in 11 consecutive tests. AB de Villiers holds the outright record with half- centuries in 12 straight tests.
A sweep for four off a leg-side delivery from spinner Roston Chase took Root past 100 and saw him start his second series as captain as he did his first series, with a hundred. He clenched his right fist and gave a low punch of delight.
Cook's century was his 31st, his first since losing the captaincy to Root, and first since November last year. It was his 10th score of 150 or more, equalling an
England faced a testing few overs when the game got underway in the afternoon, with opener Mark Stoneman -- Cook's 12th opening partner since Andrew Strauss' retirement in 2012 -- out for 8 on his debut. No. 3 Tom Westley was also dismissed for 8 in his third test.
Stoneman was bowled by Kemar Roach (2-72) in the third over with a super delivery that seamed away to smash into Stoneman's off stump. Westley was lbw to Miguel Cummins after a successful decision review by
Although
By the lunch break, which came at 4 o'clock in the afternoon, they had taken
Root fell in the tricky period when the daylight was fading and the floodlights taking over, bowled by Roach with a delivery that cut in and went between bat and pad. But
West Indies has more day-night test experience than
Day-night tests are an attempt to revitalise cricket's five-day format and give fans who hold down weekday jobs a chance to see at least some of the action live. The match at Edgbaston is the fifth day-night test to be played, with the first in