Joe Root, the former England captain, was spotted using the old bail-swap trick on day four of the second Test match against West Indies at Trent Bridge in Nottingham. Shortly after, the right-handed batter brought up his 32nd Test hundred for England, to help set up a formidable target of 385 runs for West Indies, which they were unable to chase down, losing by 241 runs.
The moment was in the first half of day four’s play when Joshua Da Silva swapped the bails, trying his luck to potentially see the back of Joe Root and Harry Brook during their 189-run stand for the fourth wicket. Root noticed Da Silva do the bail-swap trick, made famous by his former teammate Stuart Board, which led to him undoing the West Indies wicket-keeper’s handiwork.
Joe Root equals Steve Smith and Kane Williamson with 32 Test hundreds
With his 32nd Test hundred against West Indies, Joe Root equalled Steve Smith and Kane Williamson, two of the members of the Fab Four, in the all-time list. Virat Kohli has 29 Test hundreds to his name, but in the last five years, he has scored only two three-figure scores.
After England were bundled out for 425 runs in the second innings, West Indies got off to a good start in pursuit of the daunting 385-run target. But when the 61-run opening stand between Mikyle Louis and the captain Kraigg Brathwaite was broken, the West Indies batting lineup fell away like a pack of cards.
They were bundled out for just 143 runs in the 37th over just before the close of play on day 4, handing an unassailable 2-0 lead to England in the three-match Test series.
Watch Joe Root using the old bail-swap trick during England vs West Indies Test: