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Dawid Malan has saluted Joe Root as “phenomenal” after the England captain continued his dream summer with his latest imperious Test century in frot of his home Yorkshire crowd.
Root’s 121 in front of a rapt Headingley faithful on Thursday was his sixth ton in 11 appearances since the turn of the year, equalling a national record previously shared by Denis Compton and Michael Vaughan.
With an aggregate of 1,398 in that time, and an average of 69.90, the 30-year-old is entering a batting stratosphere that few ever get to experience.
He has scored three tons in a row in the current series but while his previous efforts at Trent Bridge and Lord’s have led to a draw and a defeat, only a cricketing miracle should prevent his latest coming in a winning cause with England, at 8-423, 345 ahead of India, who were bundled out for 78.
Malan, who made a classy 70 on his return to the side and kept Root company in a fine stand of 139, was happy to rank him among the game’s elite band of batsmen.
“He is phenomenal isn’t he? He just scores runs all the time,” he said.
“You look at all the best players that have played – all the greats, if you want to put it that way – and as soon as you miss your line and your length, they hurt you. Joe is one of those.
“It’s great to watch and it’s great to have the best seat in the house when he does play as well as that. It’s the ease of what he does and the speed at which he does it.
“He just moves his feet so well and his position when he hits the ball is so good…he hits the ball so much later than most people. He always looks to score with intent, you know if you bowl a bad ball he just puts you away.”
© AAP
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