England win first Test against New Zealand by five wickets, after superb century from Joe Root
Joe Root celebrates England's 1st Test victory over New Zealand
Joe Root looked unaffected by his loss of captaincy at Lord's, with his unbeaten 115 helping a new-look England side to a five-wicket win over New Zealand.
Former captain Joe Root stole the headlines on Sunday afternoon, with the 31-year-old managing 115 from 170 to help his successor Ben Stokes to make a winning start to life as England captain.
England resumed the fourth morning on 216-5, 61 short of the 277 target. But while it could have been a nerve-shredding morning for the hosts, Root and Ben Foakes put on a masterful display to wrap up the victory.
Foakes deserves credit for his unbeaten 32, with the Surrey wicket-keeper holding up his end of the deal when it came to drowning out the Kiwi attack.
Remarkably, Root's unbeaten 115 marked his first ever fourth-innings century, and the 31-year-old entered his name into the record books by becoming just the second Englishman to reach 10,000 Test runs.
A hero's welcome for @Root66! ?
— England Cricket (@englandcricket) June 5, 2022
??????? #ENGvNZ ?? pic.twitter.com/V7wa3aJt1a
He's joined in the prestigious club by Sir Alistair Cook, who amazingly also managed the feat at exactly 31 years and 157 days old.
Root's 26th Test century was achieved in style too, with the former England captain defying troublesome conditions at Lord's to fire his side to victory.
Thick, grey clouds overhead resulted in the floodlights glaring from the very first delivery, but it didn't seem to faze the Yorkshire batter, who hit 12 fours en route to his 115 total.
After wrapping up the win and being named Player of the Match, Root insisted the win was more important to him than his 10,000th Test run.
"Obviously it feels fantastic. More than anything, first of all, for us to have won this Test match after such a long time is the greatest feeling of all," said Root.
"It's been a tough road for everyone but the way everyone has gone about it has been so enjoyable. I've really enjoyed it and I'm really looking forward to the rest of the summer.
WHAT A MAN!! ???
— England Cricket (@englandcricket) June 5, 2022
A huge win to start the summer!
??????? #ENGvNZ ?? pic.twitter.com/LYe4AJUn50
"Hopefully we can really use this as a way to leap forward as a group."
The second Test starts on June 10 at Trent Bridge, as England look to build on their momentum.
Recommended Offers
£30 Matched Free Bet if your first Acca loses + 100 Free Spins
New UK customers only. Min Stake: £5. Maximum Free Bet: £30. First bet on a Football, Horse Racing, Tennis, Cricket or Basketball multiple with 3+ selections. Overall odds: 3.00 (2/1) or higher. Free Bets are available upon settlement of the qualifying bet. 100 Free Spins on More Unusual Suspects (£0.10 per spin) credited on settlement of qualifying Acca bet. No wagering requirements on free spin winnings. Debit Card deposit only (exclusions apply). This offer is valid 7 days after the new account is registered.
18+ BeGambleAware.org. Full T&Cs apply #ad
Get up to £50 Welcome Bonus
New customers only. Opt-in required. 100% Match Bonus up to £50 on 1st deposit of £10+. 50x wagering & game weighting applies. Debit Card deposits only (exclusions apply). This offer is valid for 7 days from your new account being registered.
18+ BeGambleAware.org. Full T&Cs apply #ad
Get £10 in Free Bets
New customers only. This offer is valid for 7 days from your new account being registered. Min Deposit: £10. Free Bet awarded: £10. 1 x £10 must be wagered at odds of 1.75+ to unlock Free Bet. Debit Card deposits only (exclusions apply). Free bet will expire 7 days after the 1st deposit.
18+ BeGambleAware.org. Full T&Cs apply #ad
