Root registers fifty in 12 straight Tests to equal De Villiers' world record
England captain Joe Root capitalised on a significant stroke of fortune to equal a world record at his home ground of Headingley, as he registered a score of 50 or more for the 12th Test in succession.
Root has displayed admirable consistency with the bat in a run stretching back to October 2016, when he made 56 and one in the second Test against Bangladesh in Dhaka.
The 26-year-old has managed at least a half-century in every five-day game he has played since then and matched the record of South Africa's AB de Villiers on Friday by reaching the landmark for the 12th game in a row.
The skipper's innings helped England recover from another shaky start with the bat, although Root really should have been sent back to the pavilion when he had just eight runs to his name.
An outside edge off Shannon Gabriel flew straight to Kieran Powell at first slip, but the fielder spilled the easiest of chances with Root already having started to walk off in disappointment.
Fifty up for Joe Root.
— Matthew Scott (@matthewgscott) August 25, 2017
His 12th consecutive Test match with a half-century equals AB de Villiers' world record...#ENGvWI
Root duly swept his way to 50 in the afternoon session, before being dismissed by Devendra Bishoo for 59 attempting a similar stroke.
Joe Root's 12 matches in a row with scores of 50 or more:
Oct 28-30, 2016 - 2nd Test v Bangladesh: 56 and 1
Nov 9-13 - 1st Test v India: 124 and 4
Nov 17-21 - 2nd Test v India: 53 and 25
Nov 26-29 - 3rd Test v India: 15 and 78
Dec 8-12 - 4th Test v India: 21 and 77
Dec 16-20 - 5th Test v India: 88 and 6
Jul 6-9, 2017 - 1st Test v South Africa: 190 and 5
Jul 14-17 - 2nd Test v South Africa: 78 and 8
Jul 27-31 - 3rd Test v South Africa: 29 and 50
Aug 4-7 - 4th Test v South Africa: 52 and 49
Aug 17-19 - 1st Test v West Indies: 136 (did not bat in second innings)
Aug 25 - 2nd Test v West Indies: 59
