Joe Root becomes the first batsman to score 1,000 First-class runs in 2021

England Test captain and Yorkshire batsman Joe Root became the first player to score 1,000 runs in First-class cricket this year. He brought up the feat during his innings of 99 in the ongoing Yorkshire-Glamorgan County Championship match in Cardiff on Saturday.

Joe Root led Yorkshire’s charge on a tricky surface after Australian pacer Michael Neser dismantled the visiting team's batting. Responding to Glamorgan’s 149, Yorkshire were reduced to 111 for eight before Joe Root and Yorkshire captain Steve Patterson weaved a key partnership.

Joe Root has hit more than 1,000 first-class runs in 2021 – it's only May!How many more will he make this year?#CountyCricket2021 pic.twitter.com/GNq8qK5VMM

— Wisden (@WisdenCricket) May 15, 2021

The pair added 118 runs for the ninth wicket before Joe Root fell one run short of a hundred. That would have been his 32nd first-class century and fifth of the year, with his first three coming in Test matches in the subcontinent.

Thanks to Root's innings, Yorkshire were eventually bowled out for 230 to eke out an 81-run first-innings lead.

The ongoing County Championship match has seen Joe Root go up against his younger brother Billy Root and Australian star Marnus Labuschagne, who scored 10 and 23, respectively.

💬He's not brave enough to go properly at me!💬While we wait for a start time in Cardiff, Joe Root has been speaking about finding his batting rhythm, an exciting year ahead for England and getting sledged by his brother, Billy! 😂Full interview 👉 https://t.co/4uMSXPPKHA pic.twitter.com/FFj6gCqJPk

— Sky Sports Cricket (@SkyCricket) May 15, 2021

Joe Root’s incredible start to 2021 in the subcontinent

Joe Root led England to a 2-0 Test series win in Sri Lanka in January. He led from the front, scoring back-to-back centuries (228 and 186) in the two Galle Tests.

Moving north to India, the England captain scored 218 and 40 in the first Chennai Test to help the visitors win a Test in the country for the first time in eight years.

Only three Tests and less than 40 days into the New Year, Joe Root had already accumulated 684 first-class runs. However, he failed to cross the fifty-run mark in his next six innings in Indi, as the hosts tightened the noose.

It took Joe Root five more matches and eight innings for Yorkshire to get past the 1,000-run mark in 2021. Marnus Labuschagne is in second spot, with 852 runs. If he gets a big hundred in the second innings of this match, the Australian will get to the mark in one less match than Joe Root.

Most First-class runs in 2021

Marnus Labuschagne is speeding towards Joe Root's mark.