Joe Root beomes third player to get dismiss on duck in 150th Test

Christchurch : England's right-hand batter Joe Root registered a duck in his 150th appearance in the longest format of the game during the first Test of the three-match series at the Hagley Oval on Friday.

Root was dismissed on Day 2 of the ongoing Test match against the Kiwis at Christchurch. The experienced campaigner was sent back to the pavilion after facing just four balls in the innings.

With this dismissal, he became the third player to be dismissed on a duck in the 150th Test Match after Australia's duo of Steve Waugh (vs. Pakistan at Sharjah in 2002) and Ricky Ponting (vs. England at Adelaide in 2010).

At the end of day two, England were 319/5, with Brook (132* in 163 balls, with 10 fours and two sixes) and Ben Stokes (37* in 76 balls, with four boundaries) unbeaten.

Kiwis started the day at 319/8, with Glenn Phillips 41* and Tim Southee 10* unbeaten.

Though Phillips brought up his well-fought fifty in 77 balls, Brydon Carse removed Southee (15) and Will O'Rourke (0) quickly to end NZ's innings at 348/10.

Carse (4/64) and spinner Shoaib Bashir (4/69) topped the bowling charts for England with their impressive four-wicket hauls. Gus Atkinson's pace also earned him two wickets.

Coming out to outdo this total, England was off to a poor start as they lost Zak Crawley for a 12-ball duck.

Though Ben Duckett attempted building a partnership with Test debutant Jacob Bethell, who came at number three, debutant pace-bowling all-rounder Nathan Smith stunned England by removing Bethell for 10 in 34 balls after being caught by Tom Blundell and clean-bowling Joe Root for a four-ball duck. England was 45/3.

Will O'Rourke removed Duckett for 46 in 62 balls, with six fours, with Devon Conway catching at deep backward square. England looked in a spot of bother at 71/4.

However, in England's batting future, Brook and Pope started to build a partnership, hitting some big shots. The 100-run mark was up for England in 27.2 overs.

Brook reached his half-century in 65 balls, with five fours and two sixes, while Ollie brought up his in 59 balls, with seven fours.

Their counter-attacking partnership brought up the 200-run mark for England in 48 overs.

The 152-run stand came to an end with Southee removing him for 77 in 98 balls, with eight fours. Glenn Phillips took a stunning diving catch at backward point. England was 222/5.

Brook continued his carnage, bringing up his seventh Test ton in 123 balls, with nine fours and two sixes.

The innings ended on a high note for England as Brook and Stokes stitched a 97-run stand, unbeaten.