Root had looked in fine form in the first two sessions of the day, ticking along to his 55th Test half-century to hold together the England batting effort. It was his fifth consecutive fifty-plus score in Tests, a run stretching back to England’s first engagement of 2023.

It was a valuable knock, with the rest of the England top five getting in and then getting out. Ben Duckett edged Josh Hazlewood behind for 12 while Ollie Pope was pinned lbw by Nathan Lyon for 31. Zak Crawley made an attractive 61 before edging Boland behind in the last over before lunch.

Harry Brook, in his first Ashes knock, fell in bizarre fashion, a ball from Lyon hitting him on the pad, looping over his head and spinning back onto the stumps. When Ben Stokes nicked off to Hazlewood for one, it seemed as if England might subside for a sub-par total.

However, Root found a willing partner in Jonny Bairstow and the pair resurrected the innings, putting on a century stand. In the final session, Root looked to up the ante, unfurling the reverse scoop he has made his own, and doing so against the bowler many feared would be England’s undoing. Boland came into the series with a bowling average below 15 and an economy rate of 2.31 in Tests, but he conceded over a run a ball and took just one wicket in the first 60 overs.

Root’s shot choice was a canny one, with Boland veering wide and allowing Root the room to maneuvre the ball over the slip cordon and into the stands.

At the time of writing, Root is unbeaten on 77, 23 runs short of his fourth Ashes hundred.

Watch Joe Root reverse scoop Scott Boland:

An absurd shot from Joe Root in the first over after tea 😂🤯#ENGvAUS #Ashes2023 pic.twitter.com/VteEHI7h7E

— Wisden (@WisdenCricket) June 16, 2023