Root and Archer have big days for England as India hangs on in 3rd test at Lord’s

LONDON (AP) — Joe Root followed his latest century with a record-setting catch and Jofra Archer made a wicket-taking return as England enjoyed the better of Day 2 of the third test against India at Lord’s on Friday.

Replying to England’s 387 all out, India was 145-3 and 242 runs behind at the home of cricket.

Resuming on 99, Root needed just one ball to reach triple figures for the 37th time in test matches. His 104, combined with late-innings half-centuries by Jamie Smith (51) and Brydon Carse (56), helped England post a very competitive total.

Jasprit Bumrah joined Root on the storied honors boards at the home of cricket by taking 5-74 on his return to the India team.

Archer then took center stage in his first test appearance in 4 1/2 years after a succession of injuries. The Barbados-born quick was handed the ball for the second over of India’s reply and took a wicket with his third delivery, removing opener Yashasvi Jaiswal (13), before generating speeds of 93 mph (150 kph) — the quickest in this series.

Root took a low, one-handed grab down to his left at first slip to dismiss Karun Nair (40) for his 211th catch — a test record for an outfielder, breaking a tie with India great Rahul Dravid.

And India captain Shubman Gill, who made 430 runs just by himself in the second test won by the tourists to tie the series at 1-1, was snaffled for 16 before the close as wicketkeeper Jamie Smith — standing up to the stumps — took a fine catch off seamer Chris Woakes.

Lokesh Rahul was 53 not out and alongside Rishabh Pant (19), who is playing with an injury to the index finger on his left hand that was sustained while keeping wicket on Thursday.

Bumrah’s burst ends Root’s ton

Stranded on 99 overnight, Root said he could barely sleep.

“I went through every different shot I could have played to start the day,” he said, “and every possible dismissal I could have got out to.”

Root went for it first ball, reaching for Bumrah and sending a streaky cut shot for four to notch an eighth hundred at Lord’s — his favorite venue — and his 11th against India.

Root has struck centuries in each of his last three test innings at the home of cricket, a streak that takes in a match last year against Sri Lanka. He moved into outright fifth on the all-time list of most test centuries, breaking a tie with Steve Smith and Rahul Dravid, and was 14 behind India great Sachin Tendulkar.

Bumrah soon got his revenge. He nipped one back off the seam to remove the off-stump of England captain Ben Stokes (44), took out Root when the England star sent an inside-edge onto his own stumps, and then found the edge of Woakes’ (0) first ball.

Carse survived the hat-trick ball but Bumrah’s burst sent England sliding to 271-7 inside a half-hour of the morning session.

Carse and Smith, dropped on 5 by Rahul in the slips, counterattacked with an 84-run partnership to get England over 350 before Mohammed Siraj removed Smith and Carse, either side of Bumrah clean-bowling Archer (4) to seal his five-fer.

Having also dismissed Harry Brook through the gate on Thursday, Bumrah — rested for the second test won by India — bowled four batters in England’s innings.

Archer makes instant impact

There was a buzz around Lord’s when Archer was handed the ball in his first test since February 2021, with the explosive pace bowler having worked so hard to get over his injury problems that threatened to derail his career.

He made an immediate impact, beating the bat of Yashasvi Jaiswal with his second ball and then enticing an edge to Harry Brook at second slip with his next.

“The noise, the pure joy that everyone has seeing him back in whites,” Root said. “It created a great atmosphere, him running in and getting a wicket in his first over. That’s the kind of player he is. He’s X-factor.”

Archer had two five-over bursts and figures of 1-22 off 10 overs.

Stokes looks fit again

Stokes struggled with a right groin problem while batting on Thursday, and was affected so badly that he refused a second single off the final ball of the day that would have given Root his century.

The allrounder was seen bowling before play on Friday and came out with Root for the start of play. He didn’t last long with the bat but bowled six overs and had 1-16.

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AP cricket: https://apnews.com/hub/cricket