'Funniest ever': Cricket world erupts over hilarious stunt

A "random chap in whites" has become an internet sensation after a hilarious incident in the second Test between England and India at Lord's.

The man - dubbed "Jarvo 69" - pulled off one of the most audacious pitch invasions ever seen, on day three of the Test match at the 'home of cricket'.

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With England set to resume at 3/216 after coming back out from the lunch break, many noticed that the Indians had 12 men out in the middle.

It soon became clear that one of the 12 players was in fact an imposter, who had somehow snuck onto the ground dressed in India's cricket whites.

The man could be seen remonstrating with officials and pointing at the badge on his shirt in a fruitless attempt at convincing them that he was part of the Indian team.

Security quickly pounced on the pitch invader and escorted him from the ground as Indian players, commentators and viewers all shared a laugh about the iconic incident.

“Some random chap in whites had made his way into the middle with the Indian players, and he stood there as if he was about to take part in the Test match,” England great Michael Atherton laughed on Sky Sports.

When the match did resume it was England captain Joe Root stealing the headlines after scoring a sensational fifth century at Lord's.

After his match-saving hundred at Trent Bridge last week, Root went big again, going undefeated through the entire third day to finish on 180 not out.

England reached 391 all out on the back of his stunning effort, enough for a lead of 27 that had looked fanciful after India dominated the first day.

Joe Root's purple patch continues at Lord's

Since turning 30 in December, Root has been in extraordinary form, with knocks of 228 and 186 on the turning tracks of Galle, 218 against India in Chennai and 109 under serious pressure in the rain-affected draw at Nottingham.

Among Englishmen, only Denis Compton and Michael Vaughan have scored more hundreds in a calendar year.

With three more Tests remaining this summer, his current purple patch, which has now seen him take his Test average back above 50 again, suggests he could join them on six sooner rather than later.

Root resumed on his overnight score of 48 and added another 132 in the next six and a half hours at the crease.

Control was the hallmark of Root's innings, absorbing everything India threw at him on a serene surface and collecting 18 boundaries in the course of a 321-ball epic.

Root and fellow Yorkshireman Jonny Bairstow resumed with the score at 3-119 and batted all the way through to lunch, scoring 97 chanceless runs in 28 overs.

Bairstow followed Root's lead to reach a first fifty in two years and 20 innings.

India used Mohammed Siraj as a battering ram at the start of the afternoon session, a ploy that did nothing to ruffle Root's feathers but unsettled Bairstow. After ducking into one bouncer and wearing it on the shoulder, he was undone by another, swivelling into a hook but gloving gently to slip for 57.

Root was laser-focused on reaching his hundred and even the arrival of the second new ball did not break his concentration. A sharp piece of fielding on the rope left him on 99 but he had enough to composure to drop Jasprit Bumrah into the off-side and nod Jos Buttler through for the single he needed.

Lord's rose to fete a familiar hero and did so again a few moments later as a flick to fine leg took him past 9,000 Test runs - the second youngest batsman to reach the mark after his predecessor Sir Alastair Cook.

Root coasted through stands of 54 and 58 with Buttler and Moeen Ali, who both hit a couple of pleasing strokes before getting stuck.

Ishant exploited a big gap between Buttler's bat and pad to bowl him for 23, while Moeen managed an entertaining flurry before tea only to retreat entirely after the break.

Ishant eventually snared his outside edge for 27 and condemned another left-handed all-rounder, Sam Curran, to a first-ball duck.

Root had the satisfaction of overtaking the Indian total when he whipped yet another four off his pads just before 6pm, but was partly responsible for Mark Wood's run-out moments later.

With James Anderson in place as his eighth partner of the day, Root produced some late fireworks - ramping Siraj outrageously over the slips then stooping to slog-sweep him over midwicket.

Anderson was bowled off the last delivery of the day, leaving Root still unbeaten.

with AAP

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