Root hopes for more big knocks as England's No. 3

Unbeaten on 141 at stumps on Day 1, Joe Root had made his intention to 'go big' clear in the second Test against Pakistan at Old Trafford in Manchester. And so he did, stitching century stands with Chris Woakes and Jonny Bairstow, taking England to an imposing first innings total of 589, before declaring.

The new English No 3 struck 27 boundaries en route his highest test score of 254 - a knock that lasted over 10 hours. "It was very satisfying, very pleasing to finally go and make one count," he said at the end of the second day's play on Saturday (July 23).

With Nick Compton taking an indefinite break from cricket, Root was expected to be England's No 3 in Tests. There was a lot of talk about it prior to the series, and with a double century in Manchester, he seems to have cemented the spot. "It's very nice to get a big score early on batting at three, and I hope it's the first of a few," Root said.

The innings came after two humble knocks in the first Test at Lord's where Pakistan managed to register a 75-run win and take a 1-0 lead in the four-match series. "They were poor dismissals (at Lord's), and I've worked very hard this week to try and take them out of my game -- and given the opportunity, to make it count," he added.

"That's why I was so revved up when I got to 200, because it was a lot of hard work paying off."

After putting on a 185-run stand for the second wicket with skipper Alastair Cook on the opening day, he further consolidated England's position in the match with his show on Day 2.

"More than anything, I thought the way we continued to build partnerships ... to take the game away from Pakistan, was exactly what we needed to do. It could have been very easy for us to lose a couple of early wickets and let them back into the game.

"But Chris played outstandingly well this morning, and then the guys who came in afterwards continued that," he added.

As the innings panned out following Cook's record 29th Test ton, Woakes was promoted as a nightwatchman to bat at No 6. Given his batting credentials, to make him the 'nightwatchman' might have seemed bizarre, but it also had to do with the fact that England batted deep, and Woakes was slated to come out to bat at No 9. Woakes only got the chance to revive his Test career after fellow England all-rounder Ben Stokes, returning in this match, suffered a knee injury during the first Test against Sri Lanka at Headingley in May.

But the 27-year-old Warwickshire favourite seized his chance with Saturday's display - the latest of several fine efforts this season with both bat and ball. "He's been outstanding this summer, and it's great to see," said Root.

"It just shows where he is with his game at the moment, coming to Cookie last night and saying 'I want to do the nightwatchman, I want to get out there and play'.

"It's great to have guys in the squad taking responsibility and wanting to stick their hand up and make a statement to the team and the opposition."