England were 333 for five in their second innings, a colossal lead of 566 runs, at stumps on the third day of the second Test at Lord´s on Saturday.[break]
Root´s century, the second of his eight-match Test career, was exactly the kind of large or ´daddy hundred´ so beloved of England batting coach and former Test opener Graham Gooch.
Ashes-holders England lost just two wickets in a near-ideal day for the hosts and, with so much time left in the match, the lack of a declaration from captain Alastair Cook was no surprise.
Long before Saturday´s close, Australia, bowled out for just 128 on Friday, needed to surpass the world record fourth innings winning total of 418 for seven made by the West Indies against them at St John´s in 2002/03 if they were to cause a stunning upset.
This was the 22-year-old Root´s first Test hundred as an opener after the Yorkshireman made 104 against New Zealand on his Headingley home ground in May.
That century, in a match in which then Test opener Nick Compton struggled, persuaded England to promote Root to the top of the order, where he bats for Yorkshire.
The selectors´ confidence in Root was justified by an innings spanning 110 overs and nearly eight hours at the crease that was a lesson in Test-match batting to Australia´s fallible top order.
Importantly, Root was not fazed by watching England collapse to 30 for three on Friday as Peter Siddle´s treble strike gave Australia a glimmer of hope.
"Last night was tough. They bowled exceptionally well and we knew we were going to have to scrap for a bit and earn the right to score runs later in the day," Root told BBC Radio´s Test Match Special.
"I knew how hammering it home was important."
He added: "It was pretty special, as a kid growing up playing the Ashes is the pinnacle, and to get a hundred and at Lord´s as well was a nice feeling."
Together with Yorkshire colleague Tim Bresnan, who made an admirable 38 as nightwatchman, he put on 99 before sharing a fifth-wicket stand of 153 with first-innings century-maker Ian Bell (74).
Jonny Bairstow, another Yorkshireman, was 11 not out at stumps after helping Root add an unbroken 51 for the sixth wicket.
England, 1-0 up in the five-match series after last week´s 14-run victory at Trent Bridge, resumed Saturday on 31 for three, already 264 runs in front.
After two days of blazing sunshine, conditions were overcast for the first time in the match and offered a hint of swing.
But Root, 18 not out overnight, eased the first ball, from Siddle, through midwicket for four and was rarely troubled from then on.
And when he reached 70, Root became the first batsman this English season to score 1,000 first-class runs.
Bresnan batted solidly until he pulled a James Pattinson bouncer to Chris Rogers in front of square.
In a series already full of Decision Review System controversies, there was one more Saturday when Bell, on three, edged Ryan Harris low towards Steven Smith at gully.
Smith appealed immediately for a catch but, with the umpires and Bell uncertain, the decision was passed to third umpire Tony Hill.
As is often the case, replays were inconclusive and the verdict went Bell´s way.
Although 97 not out at tea, there were no nervous 90s for Root, who cut teenage left-arm spinner Ashton Agar for his 12th four to complete a chanceless 247-ball hundred.
Australia captain Michael Clarke, perhaps mindful of keeping his faster bowlers fit for future assignments, opted against taking the new ball.
Meanwhile Root, in a perfectly paced innings, upped the tempo with a succession of stylish boundaries.
Bell fell when he pulled Smith to Rogers at midwicket but Root put the leg-spinner in his place by pulling him for two sixes in three balls.
McGrath laments Australia´s Lord´s ´horror´
LONDON, July 20: Australia great Glenn McGrath bemoaned a "horror day" for the tourists as Joe Root batted England into a position of total dominance in the second Ashes Test at Lord´s.
Ashes-holders England, already 1-0 up in the five-match series after a 14-run win at Trent Bridge last week, were 333 for five at stumps on Saturday´s third day with Root 178 not out.
Root´s second Test century was currently worth exactly 50 more than Australia managed in their meagre first innings 128.
England now had a colossal lead of 566 with their arch-rivals already needing to make far more than the Test record fourth innings victory total of 418 for seven by the West Indies against Australia at St John´s in 2002/03 if they were somehow to square the series at 1-1.
McGrath, who retired from Test cricket in 2007 with 563 wickets to his name -- the most by any fast bowler -- was dismayed by what he saw at Lord´s.
"It was a horror day for Australia, it was probably even worse than Friday," McGrath, a member of BBC Radio´s Test Match Special commentary team, said.
"England saw them off early on and then the runs starting to tick over as the day wore on."
McGrath was also bemused as to why Australia didn´t take the new ball Saturday, albeit England were 172 for four -- a lead of 405 runs - when it became available after 80 overs.
"I am curious why Australia didn´t take the new ball, run in hard and have a red-hot go at England to show they won´t lie down," McGrath, a thorn in England´s side for much of the 1990s and 2000s, said.
"It became too easy at times. Nothing shy of a miracle can save them (Australia) from here."
Meanwhile opening great Geoffrey Boycott, also commentating for the BBC, marvelled at the audacity of 22-year-old Yorkshire and England successor Root.
"Joe Root is a modern player who has been raised on Twenty20 cricket. The reverse sweep is part of his game but players like myself and (Colin) Cowdrey didn´t even know that shot existed. It never crossed our minds to play it."
Michael Clarke´s bold captaincy in the field has won many plaudits but Boycott criticised the Australian´s decision to bowl teenage left-arm spinner Ashton Agar and leg-spinner Steven Smith in tandem for much of Saturday´s final session.
"Ashton Agar is very ordinary," said Boycott. "He has got talent but he´s not ready for Test cricket yet.
"Steve Smith is useful and will take wickets and score runs but to have them both bowling at the end was like going to a carvery. It was help yourself."
Meanwhile Boycott could not resist a dig at Australia´s batsmen.
"If Bangladesh had been bowled out for 128 like Australia were, people would be saying they are pathetic and shouldn´t be playing Test cricket."
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