WATCH: Joe Root's hilarious 'ball shining' moment with Jack Leach in 2nd Test versus Pakistan
Jack Leach became the first England spinner to take wickets inside 10 overs of a Test match since 1889.
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Veteran batter and England stalwart Joe Root once again showed his humorous yet creative side by opting to shine the red cherry aka ball in a unique manner. The incident took place on Day 1 of the ongoing second Test between Pakistan and England being played in Multan. Both teams started the second Test of the series, on Tuesday, October 15.
Fascinatingly, Root made Jack Leach his shining weapon by rubbing the ball on the spinner's bare head in a bid to keep up the shine of the ball for as long as possible. Unlike the first Test where the track used was absolutely placid, the hosts decided to have a strip assisting the spinners in a bid to level the Test series against the visiting side. For the unversed, during the COVID-19 phase, the International Cricket Council (ICC) banned the use of saliva to shine the ball, and the players have now resorted to new ways to shine the ball while keeping up with the protocol even today.
Furthermore, this was not the first time Joe Root has shown his liking for shining the cricket ball with a gleaming scalp. Back in 2022, when England last toured Pakistan, the veteran had done a similar act during the 73rd over of the first Test. Meanwhile, speaking of the ongoing first Test, lady luck favoured the hosts as Pakistan skipper Shan Masood won the toss and decided to take advantage by batting first on the surface which is being re-used.
Check out the Joe Root-Jack Leach's viral moment of 2022 tour here:
Which was more culturally significant, the renaissance or Joe Root shining the ball with Jack Leach’s head sweat? pic.twitter.com/RKrfyMckGU
— TheCricketMen (@thecricketmen) December 3, 2022
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Leach scripted history by levelling a record standing since 1883
After getting humiliated by an innings margin in the first match, Masood and Co. will look to fight back in the series by batting well. However, Jack Leach did not disappoint either as he struck twice within a matter of three overs in his bowling spell by dismissing opener Abdulla Shafique and the skipper.
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As a result, the willy left-arm spinner etched his name in the history books by becoming the first English spinner to have claimed wickets inside the first 10 overs of a Test match. The last time this feat happened was way back in the year 1889. However, after stuttering on 19/2, youngster Saim Ayub and the talented debutant Kamran Gulam steadied the ship with their gritty half-centuries.
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