Joe Root smokes his sixth Test hundred in 2024: Stats
What's the story
Former England cricket team captain Joe Root matched his own national record by scoring his sixth Test century of the year.
The achievement came against New Zealand at the Basin Reserve in Wellington on December 8.
Root's overnight score was 73 not out and he brought up his century in the morning session of day three.
The veteran batter equaled his record of most Test hundreds by an Englishman in a calender year.
Match progression
Root's century propels England's lead past 550
Root brought up his century in the eighth over of play with a reverse-ramp shot that sent the ball flying over Tom Blundell's head.
However, he was dismissed three balls later for 106 off 130 balls.
Notably, the batter added 95 runs with Harry Brook before being involved in a fiery 100-run partnership with skipper Ben Stokes (49*).
Stokes declared the England innings at 427/6 right after Root's dismissal as NZ have been given a daunting target of 583 runs.
Century breakdown
Root's 6th Test century of 2024: A closer look
Root's sixth Test century this year comes after those against India, West Indies, Sri Lanka (twice), and a double in Pakistan.
This latest score is his second-lowest three-figure total for 2024, the lowest being 103 against Sri Lanka at Lord's.
With 1,470 runs from 16 Tests at 56.53, Root is the leading run-getter in Tests this year. The tally also includes six fifties.
Historic achievement
Root joins elite group of cricketers with 6 Test centuries
Root's latest century is the second time he scored six Test hundreds in a calendar year, having first done so in 2021.
This puts him alongside Denis Compton (1947) and Jonny Bairstow (2022) as the only England players to have done so.
However, Root is the only English player to have done this twice and one of just three players globally to do so.
Stats
Here are his overall numbers
Root scored 11 fours en route to his unbeaten 106 off 130 balls.
The veteran batter, who is playing his 151st Test match, has scored 12,886 runs at an average of 50.93.
He owns 36 centuries and 64 half-centuries in England whites.
As per ESPNcricinfo, Root is the highest run-scorer in England-New Zealand Tests, having scored 1,839 runs across 20 games at 54.08.
The tally includes six tons and eight half-centuries.