Ashes 2013: Joe Root ton gives England total control against Australia

Joe Root, pragmatic, plucky and eventually rather perky, cemented his position at the top of England's batting order. His unbeaten 178 was a very fine effort on what may be a tricky batting surface when some fresh bowlers are let loose upon it. Root's innings ensured that England remain in an invincible position. They lead by the small matter of 566 and they may well add a few more on Sunday morning just for good measure. But there were times before tea when it felt as if we were witnessing cement dry.
For seven days this Ashes series has produced a feast of vibrant, unpredictable, riveting entertainment. Even those who must have felt blessed to possess a ticket for the Saturday of the Lord's Test may have been experiencing second thoughts as England crawled through the first two sessions. Their perseverance was rewarded when England were unshackled against a flagging, resigned attack in the evening. But it was a day devoid of tension. It was just a question of how many runs England would score and how quickly.
By the close Root had graduated from dependable to dashing and had registered his second Test century and his first against Australia. He became the youngest Englishman to make an Ashes century here. He celebrated with a glass of water and a handshake from his younger brother, Billy, who was acting as 12th man.
His landmark is a recognisable rite of passage. In truth there has never been any suggestion that Root's place was in jeopardy. They have long since identified that he is made of the right stuff and that he should be given plenty of time to bed in at the top of the order. The only way he was ever going to be jettisoned from the England team was if he thumped some innocent in a bar late at night.
Initially Root's innings was not always a thing of beauty, but given that England were 30 for three on Friday night he was entitled to take his time.
Moreover, until Ian Bell began to play skittishly in the final session he scored faster than his partners. Perhaps the most encouraging aspect of all for the England hierarchy was this: Root did not start his innings in particularly good form and yet he still hit a century. This hints at a ruthlessness that is masked by his angelic looks. After reaching three figures he accelerated impishly with reverse sweeps and inside-out drives that previous Yorkshire openers have generally eschewed.
However, there were moments as the England innings was dribbling along in mid-afternoon when one wished it was still 1899. Until 1900 the follow-on was compulsory but then some bright spark (it was probably a commercial whizzkid, who wanted to maximise the gate takings) decided to make it optional. There were moments on Saturday when this seemed a great shame. For much of the time the game meandered and the batsmen dawdled as if they were guaranteed a share of the takings on the fifth day. The modern cricketer, as opposed to his predecessors, likes a long game.
England's decision not to enforce the follow-on was easy to understand. There was masses of time left in the game; the pitch, another dry one, was likely to deteriorate; the weather forecast was benign. They could grind the Aussies into the St John's Wood dust. Which they duly did for two sessions.
While Root occasionally delighted with the purity of a straight drive or two down to the pavilion, Tim Bresnan, an intelligent choice of nightwatchman, plodded along dutifully. Since England's lead after the first two innings was 233 they were hardly in crisis but this was not immediately obvious given the watchfulness of Bresnan's batting.
Bresnan, selected in place of Steven Finn, has had a good game and given that England are odds-on to leave Lord's with a 2-0 lead the likelihood of him staying in the team is enhanced. His bowling offers more control than his rivals and here he offered a reminder that he can bat for a long time, which is a handy virtue for a team that does not have to play catch‑up cricket.
After a wicketless morning Bresnan was eventually caught at square leg when trying to pull a delivery from James Pattinson. After a partnership of 99 runs, which had occupied 47 overs, the sight of Bell coming to the middle was hardly an uplifting moment for bowlers, who had toiled manfully and accurately.
Soon the Australians thought they had Bell caught in the gully by Steve Smith off the bowling of Ryan Harris when he was on three. So did most experienced onlookers but there was a timid retreat by the on-field umpires to their man in front of the television screen (Tony Hill) and we all know what happens next when such catches are reviewed. A scintilla of doubt is created. To no one's great surprise, but to the dismay of many, who detected a fair catch, Bell was given not out.
Australia have not had the rub of the green with the umpiring decisions in this match. But they have been utterly outplayed.
Bell soon profited from this reprieve with familiar cuts and deft glances that sped to the boundary and the run rate rocketed in the final session.
In the morning England mustered 73 runs; in the afternoon they decelerated, eking out 57 without many varieties, but in the final session they atoned spectacularly, cracking 162 runs. Michael Clarke, maybe mindful of what happened when he took the second new ball at Nottingham, declined to allow his bowlers another new one here.
So Ashton Agar and Smith were put to the sword. Smith had the consolation of a wicket. There was no doubting the validity of the catch this time, an excellent one by Chris Rogers at midwicket, even if it was travelling at the speed of light as Bell middled a long-hop in that direction.