Root, Cook hit tons to lead England past 300

Root made amends for reckless dismissals in England's first Test defeat at Lord's last week to remain unbeaten on 141 at the end of the first day, and Cook read the wicket well to make 105.

Joe Root made up for his letdown in the last Test by scoring a brilliant hundred.

Joe Root and captain Alastair Cook hit comfortable centuries as England reached 314 for four at stumps on Friday to take an early advantage in the second Test against Pakistan.

Root made up for reckless dismissals in England's first Test defeat at Lord's last week to remain unbeaten on 141 with 18 fours at the end of the first day, and Cook read the wicket well to make 105.

>SCORECARD AND BALL-BY-BALL DETAILS

 

Cook, leading England for the 50th Test, and Root contributed 185 runs for the second wicket before the England captain was bowled by Mohammad Amir (two for 63) in a rare delivery which kept low.

The newly top-ranked test leg-spinner Yasir Shah had a day to forget, remaining wicketless after bowling 31 overs while conceding 111 runs.

>Read: Cook hails England's calmer display

Shah had played a pivotal role in Pakistan's 75-run victory in the first Test by claiming a 10-wicket match haul and is also the quickest Test bowler to reach 86 wickets in 13 matches.

Amir's pace with the new ball had England in early trouble when the left-armer bowled Alex Hales (10) with a delivery which nipped back into the right-hander.

But Root and Cook saw off the new ball, batted resolutely on a true batting wicket, negated the spin threat of Shah and carried England to 95 for one by lunch.

Root cut the slog sweeps which resulted in gifting his wickets at Lord's and only once swept Shah to the mid-wicket boundary after he completed his half century off 86 balls.

Shah couldn't get enough turn despite bowling a long spell after lunch as Cook reached his half century with a straight driven boundary off the leg-spinner. The England captain reached his 29th Test century when he drove Amir to mid-wicket for two runs.

Amir provided Pakistan some hope at the stroke of tea when he dismissed Cook and came close to claiming James Vince (18) soon after the break but Younis Khan grassed a regulation catch at second slip.

The miss didn't cost much as left-arm seamer Rahat Ali (two for 69) found the thick outside edge of Vince's bat before Gary Ballance (23) added a further 73 runs with Root.

But Root continued to dominate Pakistan's bowlers with exquisite drives on both sides of the wicket and reached his maiden Test hundred against Pakistan and 10th overall by driving Shah through the mid-wicket boundary.