TOP SPIN AT THE TEST: Joe Root scored the fastest century of his career

TOP SPIN AT THE TEST: Joe Root hits the fastest century of his Test career as he maintained his brilliant record at Trent Bridge… while it’s been a match to forget for Tim Southee so far

  • Ollie Pope and Joe Root both scored big hundreds on day three at Trent Bridge 
  • England are now just 80 runs behind New Zealand’s first-innings total of 553
  • Lawrence Booth has taken a statistical look at the facts and figures

Ollie Pope repaid England’s show of faith and Joe Root continued his golden run of form as their twin centuries turned the tables on New Zealand in the second Test. 

Here, Sportsmail‘s LAWRENCE BOOTH takes a statistical look at the facts, figures, quirks and anomalies after the day’s play at Trent Bridge… 

Joe Root raises his bat after reaching his century against New Zealand on Sunday

Ollie Pope and Joe Root became the first Nos 3 and 4 to make a century in the same innings for England since Gary Ballance and Ian Bell against India at Southampton in 2014.

Root reached his century from 116 balls – the fastest of his 27 Test hundreds. His previous quickest had taken 118, against Australia at Cardiff in 2015.

Root’s Test record at Trent Bridge is now 770, including four hundreds in 11 innings, at an average of 85 – higher than at any Test venue where he has batted more than three times.

Tim Southee currently has figures of none for 106 – his worst in more than 14 years as a Test cricketer. 

Matt Henry, meanwhile, has one for 128 – the most runs he has conceded in a Test innings.



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