Sun Dec 08 10:50:55 UTC 2024: ## Root Joins Elite Club, England Clinches Series Win Over New Zealand
Wellington, NZ – England’s Joe Root joined an elite group of Test cricket’s century-makers on Sunday, equalling Rahul Dravid’s record of 36 Test centuries. His impressive 106 in the second innings of the Wellington Test against New Zealand propelled him to fifth place on the all-time list. This knock, coming after a first-innings score of just three, was Root’s sixth century of 2024, tying his own record for most centuries in a calendar year by an English batsman. England ultimately won the match by a resounding 523 runs, securing a 3-0 series victory.
Root’s achievement comes after a strong year, amassing 1,470 runs at an average of 56.53 with six centuries and four fifties in 29 innings. Only Sachin Tendulkar, Jacques Kallis, Ricky Ponting, and Kumar Sangakkara have scored more Test centuries than Root.
The match itself was a dominant display by England. While their first innings started shakily (43/4), Harry Brook (123) and Ollie Pope (66) spearheaded a crucial partnership. New Zealand’s innings, in contrast, were hampered by devastating bowling from Matthew Atkinson (4/31) and Gus Carse (4/46), limiting them to 125 runs.
England’s second innings saw further strong performances, including a 187-run partnership between Ben Duckett (92) and Jacob Bethell (96). Another century partnership between Root and Stokes (49*) pushed England’s score beyond 400 before they declared.
Despite a fighting 115 from Tom Blundell in New Zealand’s second innings, England’s bowlers, led by Ben Stokes (3/5), bowled them out for 259, securing a comprehensive victory and the series sweep.
First Piper 