Joe Root’s century leads England to a five-wicket victory over New Zealand in the first Lord’s Test | Cricket News

Joe Ruth has passed 10,000 test runs since his 115 wins in the match did not come out, giving England a 1-0 advantage in a series of three tests against New Zealand with two to the end - Watch the first day of the second test from 10:00, Friday, Ski Sports Cricket

Joe Ruth scored a masterful goal in the 26th century and passed 10,000 test runs as he led England to a five-pick victory over New Zealand on the fourth day of the opening of the LV = Insurance series at Lord.

England again need 61 races with five wickets in hand to end the 277 chase after recovering from 69-4 the previous afternoon primarily thanks to former captain Ruth (115no) and new captain Ben Stokes (54).

Ruth, who started day 77, extended his sixth wicket with Ben Foaks (32no) to an uninterrupted 120 as England secured their first victory in a 10-attempt test and ensured that the Stokes and Brandon McAllum era began victoriously.

New Zealand would be encouraged by the humid and cloudy conditions around the Lord, as well as the length of England’s tail and the fact that they could play another new ball in 15 overs if necessary.

But Ruth - whose ton of 157 balls was his first in the fourth inning of the test - and Foakes shone under the leaden sky, meaning Matthew Potts, Stuart Broad, James Anderson and Matt Parkinson were not needed with a bat and the game was over by seven deliveries before the new ball became available.

Ruth pushed Tim Southey over midwick for four to complete England’s victory, which can now end its first victory in a test series from January 2021 if it triumphs at Trent Bridge on Friday.

Ruth reached three digits and became the 14th man, and the youngest in the wrist, to reach 10,000 test runs when he achieved his 23rd run in the morning.

The Yorkshireman achieved this last landmark at exactly the same age as Sir Alastair Cook (31 years, 157 days) - the only other Englishman with more than 10,000 tests - when he pushed Southee into the leg for two.

England triumphed in a dramatic first test

Sunday’s calm conclusion was in stark contrast to much of the rest of the Test, which was a frantic, seesaw with England that was at its peak in stages but seemed ready for another defeat that shattered morale on the others.

Stokes’ team beat New Zealand by just 132 on the first day - debutant Potts and recalled Anderson shared eight winners - but then capitulated from 59-0 to 141 in response as their long-standing hitting problems were evident again.

Potts, Anderson and Broad then reduced New Zealand to 56-4 in their second inning, at which point the Black Caps’ lead was a paltry 47 and the two-day finish, not seen at Lord’s since 1888, looked convincing.

Daryl Mitchell (108 out of 203 balls) and Tom Blundell (96 out of 198) saved New Zealand with 195 fifth wickets, as the advantage of tourists increased to 242 - only for England to start a great response with the ball on Saturday morning, taking six wickets for 34 races.

England’s top weaknesses were in sight again as they fell to 69-4 in the race, but a 90-fifth-five alliance between Ruth and Stokes cemented the home side - the Stokes gave up the ball without Colin de Grandom after chopping on their stumps when had only one race to his name.

Ruth found a great ally in Foakes, and he crossed the border early on the fourth day after continuing undefeated on the ninth.

The last day referred to Ruth, who became only the third man to score a hundred undefeated in the fourth inning of the Lord’s Test, after Gordon Greenridge for the West Indies against England in 1984 and Nasser Hussein for England against New Zealand in 2004.

Hussein: Vital England started a new era with a victory

Naser Hussein from Ski Sports: “It was great, from the first ball to the scenes at the end. There was no drama on Sunday - but there was one person the country and English cricket fans wanted to oppose, and that was Ruth.

“They love him and it was such a happy moment for him to reach 10,000 test drives and overtake England.

“It is a change in the era of English cricket and it was absolutely important that they started with the victory. You can imagine the confidence in that locker room now.

“All the young guys will stick to every word of McAllum and Stokes and want to make progress. It’s just the beginning and they can’t turn their heads, but it’s the beginning that England needs.”

Watch the first day of the second LV = insurance test between England and New Zealand, at Trent Bridge, live at the Ski Sports Cricket and Ski Sports main event from 10am on Friday.