Joe Root's Century Propels England in Ashes Test Against Australia

England's Strong Position at Lunch on Day 2

Sydney [Australia], January 5: Veteran batsman Joe Root's outstanding century has placed England in a dominant position at the conclusion of the first session on Day 2 of the fifth and final Ashes Test against Australia at the Sydney Cricket Ground on Monday.

By lunch on Day 2, England had advanced to 336/6 in 78 overs, with Will Jacks (3* off 11 balls) and Root (138* off 200 balls, featuring 14 boundaries) remaining not out. The seventh-wicket partnership contributed 13 runs off 20 balls.

Starting Day 2, the Ben Stokes-led team resumed with an overnight score of 211/3 in 45 overs, where Root (72* off 103 balls, including eight fours) and Harry Brook (78 off 92 balls, with six fours and one six) were at the crease.

Australian fast bowler Mitchell Starc ended the impressive 169-run partnership for the fourth wicket by dismissing Brook for 84 runs off 97 balls, which included six fours and a six, during the fourth ball of the 48th over.

Starc then struck again during the fifth ball of the 51st over, sending England captain Ben Stokes back for a duck after just 11 balls, leaving the visitors at 229/5. This marked the 14th occasion Starc has dismissed Stokes in Test matches.

Wicketkeeper Jamie Smith joined Root and began to play aggressively, hitting a massive six over backward square leg against Starc in the 55th over, followed by several boundaries in the next over as England reached 257/5.

Root achieved his 41st Test century in just 146 balls during the first ball of the 60th over, marking his second hundred in the current Ashes series, having previously scored a century in the pink-ball Test in Brisbane.

With this century, Root ties with Australian great Ricky Ponting for the third-most Test centuries in history, trailing only South African legend Jacques Kallis (45) and Indian icon Sachin Tendulkar (51). Since 2021, Root has amassed 24 Test centuries, the highest of any player.

In the 75th over, Australia's Marnus Labuschagne ended the 94-run partnership for the sixth wicket by dismissing Jamie Smith for 46 runs off 76 balls, which included six fours and a six. At lunch on Day 2, England stood at 336/6.

Earlier, England won the toss and opted to bat first. The opening day saw only 45 overs bowled, with the third session being washed out due to rain and poor light.

Openers Zak Crawley (16 off 29 balls, including three fours) and Ben Duckett (27 off 24 balls, with five boundaries) formed a 35-run partnership for the first wicket.

Jacob Bethell was dismissed after scoring 10 runs off 23 balls, including two fours, before Root and Harry Brook stabilized the innings, helping the team surpass the 100-run mark in the first session.

For Australia, Mitchell Starc, Scott Boland, and Michael Neser each took one wicket in the first session.

The second session saw England take control, racing to 155/3 after 33 overs. In the next over, Root reached his fifty in 65 balls, while Brook also achieved his half-century with a four against Beau Webster.

The visitors crossed the 200-run mark in the 42nd over, with Root and Brook forming a 150-run partnership for the fourth wicket during the 43rd over, putting England in a strong position as they went into tea without losing a wicket in the second session, before rain and bad light washed out the third session on Day 1.

Brief Scores: England: 336/6 (Joe Root 138*, Harry Brook 84*, Scott Boland 2/75) vs Australia.