Joe Root Breaks Century Drought in Australia, Hailed by Michael Atherton
Root's Historic Century in Australia
London [UK], December 4: Michael Atherton, the former England cricketer, praised Joe Root for finally breaking his Test century drought in Australia, stating that when it mattered most, "England's greatest run-scorer delivered the innings of his life."
Root, who has consistently scored runs globally and has a remarkable ability to convert fifties into hundreds throughout the 2020s, lifted a significant burden off his shoulders by achieving his first Test century on Australian soil during his 30th innings there. This milestone was crucial for cementing his legacy as a dominant figure in English Test cricket.
This century marked Root's 40th in Test matches. Amid discussions about his underwhelming performance in Australia, where he was mockingly referred to as 'Average Joe' by the Australian media, this innings could be one of his most impactful. Additionally, with this achievement, he spared Aussie legend Matthew Hayden from a humorous dare he had made regarding Root's performance.
On the Sky Sports Cricket Ashes Daily podcast, Atherton remarked, "It has been a long time coming. The moment he reached a hundred was a fantastic spectacle. The entire crowd, both Australians and English, stood in appreciation, momentarily setting aside a decade of disappointment. Root's reaction was almost apologetic for taking so long to achieve this milestone."
Atherton emphasized the importance of scoring runs in critical situations, which Root accomplished after England found themselves at 5/2, with Mitchell Starc dismissing both Ben Duckett and Ollie Pope for ducks.
"He came in at a precarious 5-2, and it could have gone terribly wrong. With Starc taking out Duckett and Pope, memories of Perth came flooding back, but Root played the innings of his life when everything was at stake," Atherton noted.
He also referenced Ben Stokes, who acknowledged the significance of the match, stating that he had never needed Root more than at that moment.
Former England captain Nasser Hussain responded to the Australian media's 'average Joe' label, asserting that Root deserved his moment of triumph in Australia. Watching Root bat made Hussain feel nervous, a rare occurrence for him.
"He was far from average today," Hussain stated on the podcast. "Let’s be clear, he is one of England's greatest batsmen, and he earned that moment today. I rarely feel nervous watching cricket, but I was anxious about this innings due to its significance and the surrounding hype."
In the match, England won the toss and chose to bat first. After Mitchell Starc's impressive bowling reduced England to 5/2, Root formed a crucial 117-run partnership with Zak Crawley, who scored 76 runs off 93 balls. Another significant partnership with Harry Brook (31 off 33 balls) followed.
Australia made key breakthroughs, including a run-out of England captain Ben Stokes (19) by Josh Inglis, leaving England at 264/9. However, Root's aggressive batting alongside Jofra Archer (32* off 26 balls) helped England finish day one at 325/9 after 74 overs.