Root Passes Ponting For Most Test Runs At Home

Joe Root holds the record for the most Test runs at home. He went past Ricky Ponting during England's second innings against Pakistan at Lord's. Root made 24. That took his tally on English grounds to 7,594, sixteen clear of the 7,578 Ponting scored in Australia. India TV and CricTracker both reported the new figure.

The innings was short. Mohammad Ali trapped him leg before. Root had walked in at 13 for 2, on AFP's account of the day, with England already a long way ahead after Pakistan were bowled out for 110. England closed day two 261 in front.

Twenty-four runs at Lord's

Root began the Pakistan series 79 short of the mark. Willow Sports put him on 7,500 from 87 home Tests and 153 innings before the opening Test at Headingley. England won that match by an innings and 103 runs. Two Tests later the gap is gone.

The record counts only runs made in Tests played in a batter's own country. Ponting scored his 7,578 in Australia. Root has made his in England, and he is still adding to them.

The all-time home list

Willow Sports published the order before the series started. Root has since moved to the top of it.

• Joe Root, England 7,594
• Ricky Ponting, Australia 7,578 from 92 home Tests
• Sachin Tendulkar, India 7,216 from 94
• Mahela Jayawardene, Sri Lanka 7,167 from 81
• Jacques Kallis, South Africa 7,035 from 88

Eighty-seven Tests in England

Root got there in fewer matches. He was on 7,500 after 87 home Tests. Ponting needed 92 to reach 7,578. Tendulkar played 94 at home and finished 378 runs adrift of the new figure. Jayawardene scored his in the fewest, 81, and still sits 427 short. Those match counts come from Willow Sports.

Root is England's captain and remains in the side. Every further innings in England adds to the total. The four men behind him on the list have all retired, so the margin can only move one way while he keeps playing at home.

Pakistan's position at Lord's

Pakistan are behind in the series. England won at Headingley by an innings and 103 runs. At Lord's the tourists were dismissed for 110, with Ollie Robinson taking four for 11 and Jofra Archer three for 26 on figures reported by AFP. Nine Pakistan batters reached single figures.

Mohammad Ali has still had a good match with the ball. He removed Root in the second innings, having also worked through the England order on a rain-shortened first day alongside Mohammad Abbas. Jamie Smith and Jordan Cox both made fifties in that first innings. ESPNcricinfo has Root second only to Sachin Tendulkar for runs in Test cricket overall.

The match is scheduled to run to 31 August. England batted on into day three with the series in their hands. Pakistan have not been beaten at Lord's since August 2010, on a record of five wins, five defeats and seven draws there compiled by Willow Sports. That run needs a long fourth innings to survive.