By Stephan Shemilt

JOE Root’s impeccable century on the day he became England’s all-time leading runscorer led the charge back into the first Test against Pakistan in Multan.
Beginning day three on 32, Root needed another 39 to break Sir Alastair Cook’s record. The 33-year-old, in his 147th Test, created a moment of British sporting history, then went on and on to set up the prospect of a remarkable victory.
First Test, Multan (day three of five)

(Scores :Pakistan 556: Masood 151, Salman 104* Shafique 102; Leach 3-160
England 492-3: Root 176*, Brook 141*, Duckett 84)

It was one of the most gruelling of Root’s 35 Test hundreds. He batted throughout for his 176 not out, taking England to 492-3, only 64 behind.
After Zak Crawley was out for 78 and Ben Duckett recovered from his dislocated thumb to make 84, Harry Brook arrived for his own unbeaten 141, surviving the ball hitting the stumps but not dislodging the bails when he had 75.
Root and Brook have so far shared 243 for the fourth wicket, an all-wicket record for England in Pakistan. Resuming on 96-1, England overall added 396 for the loss of just two wickets on one of their great days in an overseas Test.
Never before has England conceded as many as Pakistan’s 556 and gone on to take a first-innings lead.

Now they are primed to do just that and, in doing so, will give themselves the chance of another stunning win in this country.
“I’m obviously proud but still feel there is plenty more left to do and many more runs left to get,” said Root.
“More than anything the way we played as a team is what stands out – we’ve got ourselves back in a really good position.
England in hunt for sensational win

If Root made this day memorable, there were times when the cricket itself was a tough watch, simply because of how bat utterly dominated ball.
The pitch remains full of runs. It is rated as the fifth-flattest over the opening three days of a Test anywhere in the world since such data was first collected in 2007. England’s almost unchecked progress and Pakistan’s slow roast puts the home side’s first-innings total into context.
But Tests in this part of the world can accelerate quickly and England has a determination to avoid draws at all costs. The tourists are now in the stronger position and can ponder how best to force victory.

England has been known to be daring with declarations in the past, yet the smarter move would be to get as many runs as possible in this first innings. That would put Pakistan under pressure in the second innings and lessen any potential run-chase when the pitch will be, in theory, at its worst.
Only once have England conceded more than the 556 Pakistan made in the first innings of a match and gone on to win – and that was in 1894. Then again, the last two times England have been flogged for more than 500, they have been victorious.
The next two days could produce one of their best wins.

There was an inevitability that this would be the day for Root to overhaul Cook’s tally of 12,472. With ideal conditions and in supreme form, Root’s massive appetite for runs would only have been appeased by a huge score.
Root came through an optimistic lbw review off the bowling of Aamer Jamal when he was on 65 then passed Cook with a dreamy straight drive off the same bowler. Root celebrated with a small wave of the bat, like he knew it was just the beginning, and so it proved, as Root put together an epic. Even in the stifling temperature, Root played all of his trademark nudges and tucks, then scampered between the wickets. There were bouts of cramp, though no signs of stopping. Occasionally, he unfurled picture-perfect cover drives.
Spinner Abrar Ahmed was treated with disdain by all of England’s batters. Root reverse-swept him to go to three figures and at one point even played him left-handed.

There was plenty more to come. Same tempo, same solid defence and sound judgement. Against the second new ball and on 168, Root was pinned by a Naseem Shah inswinger and a review just about upheld umpire Kumar Dharmasena’s not-out decision.
More magic moments are in Root’s future, possibly even Sachin Tendulkar’s world record of 15,921 Test runs. For now, his sights are set on a double hundred and an England triumph.