Root, Anderson turn tables on India with record stand

NOTTINGHAM, July 12 (AFP): England's Joe Root and James Anderson rewrote the record books with a Test record last-wicket stand that frustrated India's bid for victory in the series opener at Trent Bridge Saturday.

At lunch on the fourth day, England were 485 for nine, a first-innings lead of 28.

Root was 143 not out and last man Anderson a personal Test-best 81 not out, with their unbroken stand worth 187 runs.

That surpassed the previous tenth-wicket Test record of 163 -- shared by Australia's Phil Hughes and Ashton Agar against England, also at Trent Bridge, last year.

It was the second impressive tenth-wicket stand of the match after Bhuvneshwar Kumar (58) and Mohammed Shami (51 not out) had put on 111 for India in a first innings total of 457.

And it meant this match was also the first in 137 years of Test cricket where both sides had seen their last-wicket duo share hundred partnerships and where both number elevens-Shami and Anderson-had made fifties.

Anderson's innings, which surpassed his previous first-class best of 37, was also the highest Test score by an England No 11, overtaking John Snow's 59 not out against the West Indies at The Oval in 1966.

England, after losing six wickets for 68 runs in the face of accurate seam bowling from Kumar and Ishant Sharma Friday, resumed on 352 for nine-a deficit of 105 runs.