Root shines as England show their backbone

JOE ROOT was left unbeaten on 99 as England showed their — backbone on a hard fought first day of the third Rothesay Test against India.

- By RORY DOLLARD

Root has scored seven centuries at the home of cricket, more than any other batter to have played the game, and was one short of racking up an eighth as England knuckled down to 251 for four.

He would surely have got there before the close had it not been for a bizarre break in play late on, a swarm of ladybirds interrupting proceedings and costing Root an extra over.

Root scored his runs from 191 deliveries as England settled for an unusually stately scoring rate of 3.02 an over.

‘The worst news for the hosts was another injury scare for captain Ben Stokes, who finished unbeaten on 39 but hobbled through the closing stages with what appeared to be a groin complaint.

Stokes kicked the habit of bowling first after winning his third toss of the series, putting the top order ona collision course with Jasprit Bumrah.

England managed to keep the world’s number one bowler quiet until the evening session, when he dismissed Harry Brook, but they did not have things their own way.