Joe Root Overtakes Brian Lara To Become Seventh Batter With 12000 Test Runs

Joe Root, who recently scored his 32nd Test century, showcased his skill once more as England struggled at 55/5 in their first innings. West Indies displayed resilience, ending their first innings at 282.

Root surpassed Brian Lara's record of 11,953 Test runs and later became the seventh player to reach 12,000 Test runs. He achieved this milestone with a boundary off Alzarri Joseph in the first over after lunch on Day 2.

• Sachin Tendulkar
• Ricky Ponting
• Jacques Kallis
• Rahul Dravid
• Alastair Cook
• Kumar Sangakkara
• Joe Root

The West Indies bowlers were relentless, with Jayden Seales dismissing Zak Crawley (18) and Mark Wood (0) late on Day 1. Alzarri Joseph bowled Ben Duckett (3) early in the fifth over.

On Day 2, Shamar Joseph bowled Ollie Pope (10) on the 17th ball, followed by Harry Brook's dismissal by Jayden Seales five deliveries later. The West Indies pacers were causing significant trouble for England.

Before further damage could be inflicted by the West Indies bowlers, captain Ben Stokes joined Joe Root at the crease. Together, they stabilised England's innings and took them past 100 without losing any more wickets.

The partnership between Root and Stokes was crucial. Root reached his 63rd Test fifty while forming a century stand with Stokes, who held one end firmly. Their partnership of 115 runs off 142 balls ended when Alzarri Joseph dismissed Stokes for 54 off 69 balls after lunch.

England secured an unassailable 2-0 lead in the three-match series after a commanding 241-run victory in Nottingham. They are now aiming for a clean sweep against Kraig Brathwaite's West Indies team.

Gus Atkinson was impressive again for England, taking four wickets in the first innings. West Indies were struggling at 115/5 before Jason Holder (59) and Joshua Da Silva (49) added a crucial partnership of 109 runs to help their team reach a total of 282.

The two experienced players understood the importance of their roles and showed caution to guide England past critical moments without further loss. Root's performance solidified his position as one of the top Test batters globally.

The match saw several key performances that highlighted both teams' strengths and weaknesses. England's bowlers were effective in restricting West Indies initially but faced resistance from Holder and Da Silva.

This series has been a testament to Joe Root's exceptional batting prowess and leadership qualities. His ability to perform under pressure has been instrumental in England's success so far.

The final match will determine if England can achieve a clean sweep or if West Indies can salvage some pride by winning the last game of the series.