Sydney, January 5
After a fine day of Test match cricket with his side in the driver's seat, England batter Joe Root, who went from being century-less in Australia to have scored two tons this series, said that after winning the previous Melbourne Test and snapping their winless streak in Aussie land, it is about creating positive memories as a group which could benefit the younger and first-timers forward when they make their next trip to Australian shores for the Ashes.
After smashing his first Test century in Australia during the second pink-ball Test match at Brisbane, Root's willow weaved its magic once again as he struck a brilliant 160, to put his team at the top at the end of the second day, with two Aussie wickets lost and the hosts yet to wipe out a 218-run deficit.
Speaking during the post-match presser, Root said, "It felt like yesterday was much batting, and it was much trickier today. It was about making sure to maximise that first innings, look at the surface and see how it plays out with time. It was pleasing and got it right to a degree today."
Root said that with a player having longevity like him, they are going to experience different things throughout their career, and he keeps looking at all opportunities he gets because he does not know how much is left for him at the age of 35, especially with regards to another trip to Australia for the Ashes urn. So for him, what mattered was putting his team in a position of strength and trying to recreate what the team had experienced in MCG, something he hopes could help England's youngsters going forward and lessen the mental baggage of touring to Australia.
"When you have played as long as I have, you are going to experience a lot of different things, and one thing I look at is opportunities. I do not know how many opportunities I am going to get to come here. It was great to win at MCG, and it was another opportunity today to help us get into a position of strength and try replicating that feeling once again (of what the team experienced in Melbourne) for the group," he said.
"Hopefully, it benefits the team going forward when they come next time here. There are a lot of players playing for the first time in Australia, and when they have these positive memories, it will help them win. The baggage that the previous generation faced might not be there for them. There is so much to play for in the next three days," he concluded.
With his century, Root slammed his 41st Test century, becoming equal with Aussie legend Ricky Ponting for the joint-most third centuries in Tests. Root has been England's top run-getter and overall second-highest run-getter, with 394 runs in five Tests and nine matches at an average of 49.25, with two centuries.
England started the day two at 211/3, with Root (72*) and Harry Brook (78*) unbeaten. While Brook missed out on a century, scoring a 97-ball 84 (with six fours and a six), Root went on to play one of his finest knocks, scoring 160 in 242 balls, with 15 boundaries, getting some solid support from Jamie Smith (46 in 76 balls, with six fours and a six) and Will Jacks (27 in 62 balls, with two fours and a six), taking England to 384 in 97.3 overs.
Michael Neser (4/60) was the top wicket-taker for Australia, with Mitchell Starc and Scott Boland getting two wickets.
Australia ended the day two at 166/2, with Travis Head (91* in 87 balls, with 15 fours) and Michael Neser (1*) unbeaten. Marnus Labuschagne (48 in 68 balls, with seven fours) missed out on his fifty while Jake Weatherald (21) failed to convert another start.
- ANI
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