Stats: Root breaks Cook's English record of highest score on captaincy debut

Captain Joe Root came to England’s rescue as his unbeaten century helped England go from an area of concern to a position of strength at the end of day one of the first Test between England and South Africa at Lord’s. England’s decision to win the toss and elect to bat first didn’t look like the right one as Vernon Philander ran through the top-order but their captain came to their rescue as they ended the day on 357/5.

Philander got rid of both openers (Alastair Cook and Keaton Jennings) inside his first three overs. Gary Ballance, who was making his international return was removed not too long afterward by Morne Morkel. Philander then came back again to get rid of the in-form Jonny Bairstow. With England reeling at 76/4, the Proteas might have fancied their chances but that was as good as it for them.

Extra Cover: England vs South Africa 2017: 1st Test Day 1, 5 talking points

After the fall of the fourth wicket, England added nearly 300 more runs in the day on the back of Root’s unbeaten 184 and fifties from all-rounders, Ben Stokes and Moeen Ali, the latter was unbeaten along with Root at the end of the day, having added more than 160 runs for the sixth wicket.

Here are some interesting statistical highlights from the day’s play:

0 – No batsman has scored 1,000 Test runs at Lord’s quicker than Joe Root, who got to the mark in just 17 innings, beating the previous record of 19, set by Andrew Strauss.

1 – On the list of highest score by England player on captaincy debut, Root is now No.1, having overtaken Alastair Cook’s mark of 173.

2 – Only two players have scored a double century in their debut innings as captain. G Dowling and S Chanderpaul were the only two to have done, will Root (184*) join them?

3 – Joe Root became the third player after Graham Gooch and Kevin Pietersen to have three 150+ scored in a Test match at Lord’s.

3 – Stokes and Root now have three century stands in Tests (two at Lord’s), which is the joint-most with any player for Stokes, who also has three with Bairstow.

4 – Root became the fourth consecutive English captain, after Strauss, Pietersen and Cook to score a century on his first Test as captain.

5 – Joe Root became only the fifth England captain to score a century on his debut Test innings after A McLaren, A Lamb, K Pietersen and A Cook.

5 – This was the fifth consecutive Test in which he has scored at least a fifty against South Africa.

6 – Root was the sixth player to score a 150+ score in his first Test as captain.

6 – Root became the sixth England player to score a century in his first Test as captain.