England vs New Zealand 1st Test: Joe Root’s unbeaten 77 steers England closer to winning target
Joe Root hit an unbeaten 77 to steer England to within 61 runs of victory in the first Test while New Zealand require five wickets as the contest remained intriguingly poised at the end of a tense third day at Lords. England were 216-5 at close, chasing a target of 277 after dismissing New Zealand for 285 before lunch on Saturday. Root, no longer incumbered by the captaincy, was at his imperious best as he took away the early advantage from the tourists, who had England teetering at 69-4 before tea when seamer Kyle Jamieson made early breakthroughs. Root and his successor Ben Stokes put together a 90-run partnership to turn the tide with the new skipper scoring 54 before being caught behind – the only wicket to fall after tea.
