Joe Root relieved to score double-century as England dominate Pakistan in Old Trafford Test

Joe Root scored his second double-century on Saturday. Martin Rickett / AP Photo

Joe Root piled the pressure on Pakistan and came within one boundary of an English record with his career-best double-century in the second Test at Old Trafford.

Root’s 10-and-a-quarter-hour 254 was just two runs short of England’s highest individual score at this venue, with its 132-year Test history.

Only Ken Barrington, 52 years ago against Australia, has made more for the hosts in Manchester – and Root’s 406-ball tour de force spanned six sessions, featuring in three century stands.

It was only after he finally departed, a skied catch to Mohammed Hafeez running in from deep square-leg off Wahab Riaz after orders had come to up the ante, that England declared on 589 for eight on Day 2 of the second Test.

As they seek to level the four-match series after the surprise 75-run defeat at Lord’s, Chris Woakes then followed up his half-century with three for 18 as Pakistan stumbled to 57 for four at stumps.

Root and captain Alastair Cook did much of the hardest work with their hundreds on Day 1, and the Yokshireman’s reward on the resumption was an obvious opportunity to scale the list of England’s highest individual scores.

He was less fluent than on Day 1 but kept his concentration to pass 200 when he reverse-swept the world’s No 1 bowler Yasir Shah for the 22nd of his 27 fours.

Root and Woakes – the latter a nightwatchman in name only with nine first-class hundreds on his CV – put on 103 for the fifth wicket.

Woakes (58) was England’s driving force, in the first hour especially.

He did his job the previous evening, with just two to his name from 16 balls, but soon took the lead role.

There were early off-side boundaries off either foot against Rahat Ali, and then a memorable upper-cut six off Mohammed Amir.

Root took the majority of Amir’s spell as he set himself again for an extended stay.

By the time he counted his first four of the day – an edge which might have done for him on 155 off Yasir had Younus Khan been more alert at slip – Woakes had hit seven boundaries to go with his six.

He added another four in his 88-ball half-century, his second in five innings.

There had been a painful early blow to Woakes’ right forearm when Rahat found a little variable bounce from the pavilion end, but he was otherwise untroubled until he poked a caught-and-bowled back at Yasir.

At that point, the leg-spinner had followed his 10 for 141 at Lord’s with one for 139 here – and he would chalk up a less gratifying double-hundred of his own before England were done.

Pakistan’s troubles also included a fleeting injury scare for Amir, off the field for a time after his initial spell but officially with no significant problem and fit to bowl well again after lunch. It was to no avail.

Osman Samiuddin: When push-up comes to shove who could begrudge Pakistan's celebrations?

Ben Stokes had some fortune, depositing a mis-sweep at Yasir safely on 25, but less perhaps when Wahab (three for 106) had him caught-behind after overturning the initial decision via an extensive DRS procedure.

Jonny Bairstow (58) had an escape on nine when Sarfraz Ahmed could not hold another chance off Yasir.

Root’s dismissal came in a 27-minute session containing 56 runs after tea, which ended when Bairstow was caught at mid-off.

The new ball then swung for James Anderson and Stuart Broad, but without end product.

Moeen Ali opened his account by being no-balled for an unintentional high full toss in his first over – but the double-change, Woakes on too, worked immediately for the seamer at the pavilion end.

He did have to wait until the last ball of his first over before one left Hafeez marginally to find the edge low to second slip – Root, no less.

For his next trick, Woakes took his teammates out of the equation with a one-handed caught-and-bowled from Azhar Ali’s faulty chip back at him.

The all-rounder was therefore up and running again in this personal breakthrough season.

So too were England, after Stokes had an out-of-sorts Younus caught down the leg-side and then Woakes himself found a short ball too good for an authentic but unsuccessful nightwatchman in Rahat.

“It was nice to go on and make a big one,” Root said.

“Finally, to do it, is a really nice feeling. Scores like this are why we play the game – to make big contributions. Recently I have thrown it away on a few occasions and I made up for it today.”

Follow us on Twitter @NatSportUAE

Like us on Facebook at facebook.com/TheNationalSport