manding 357 for five on the opening day of the first Test against South Africa at Lord's on Thursday.

Root, dropped twice, and Ben Stokes (56) shared a fifth-wicket partnership of 114 to dig England out of a deep hole after they had stumbled to 82 for four at lunch having won the toss in excellent batting conditions.

The skipper reached his 12th test century by sweeping spinner Keshav Maharaj for three, raising his bat to all

New England captain Joe Root rode his luck to make a battling unbeaten 184 and lift the hosts to a com- corners of a sun-kissed home of cricket as a packed crowd rose to applaud him.

Root emulated the feat of the last three England test captains, Alastair Cook, Kevin Pietersen and Andrew Strauss, in scoring a hundred in his first game in charge but his day had not started well.

South Africa fast bowler Vernon Philander dismissed openers Alastair Cook (three) and Keaton Jennings (eight), forcing Root to stride out to the middle with his team reeling at 17 for two.

The 26-year-old struggled to find his usual fluency against a disciplined South Africa pace attack and, on 16, he was dropped at gully off Kagiso Rabada shortly after offering a much

more difficult chance to fine leg.

Root and Stokes batted watchfully in the afternoon session, accumulating runs with careful placement.

After passing his century, Root lit up the ground with crisp punches through mid-wicket and square drives but he had another reprieve on 149 when he was stumped off a no-ball from Maharaj.

He struck 26 fours and one six, sharing an unbroken partnership of 167 with Moeen Ali, who finished on 61 notout.

SCORES IN BRIEF

ENGLAND: 357-5 in 87 overs (Root 184 not out, Stokes 56, Moeen 61 not out; Philander 46-3, Morkel 64-1, Rabada 94-1)