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Joe Root believes a new batch of Dukes balls are the reason why there have been few big scores in Test cricket in England this season.<\/p>\n
Neither England nor Pakistan have managed an individual century in the first two Tests of an ongoing three-match series, where the hosts have established an unbeatable 2-0 lead.<\/p>\n
Pakistan have yet to pass 200 as a team in four innings so far.<\/p>\n
There have only been two totals above 400 all summer \u2014 the first by New Zealand in their series-deciding win over England at Trent Bridge and the second by England in their innings and 103-run thrashing of Pakistan in the first Test at Headingley.<\/p>\n
Bowlers have largely dominated with recalled England seamer Ollie Robinson taking 23 wickets in three Tests at a staggeringly low average of 8.34 following eight more scalps in a series-clinching 194-run win over Pakistan at Lord\u2019s.<\/p>\n
\u201cI think the balls have been very different this year,\u201d said England captain Root after watching his pacemen overpower Pakistan on Sunday to wrap up a convincing victory at Lord\u2019s.<\/p>\n
\u201cI think there\u2019s a different lacquer to them. I\u2019ve not got evidence on that, I probably need to ask Dukes, but I think there\u2019s a lacquer on the seam. They don\u2019t want them to go out of shape and get them changed.\u201d<\/p>\n
Root, England\u2019s all-time leading run-scorer in Test cricket, managed just 28 runs in two innings at Lord\u2019s and has now been lbw nine times in his past seven matches.<\/p>\n
He believes the balls are also helping make pitches more bowler-friendly.<\/p>\n
\u201cThey seem a lot firmer and probably if they\u2019re dinting the wickets then it\u2019s going to seam off the dints, it\u2019s going to make it move more.\u201d<\/p>\n
He added: \u201cSometimes you do come across summers where you know it is the perfect storm. You get overcast conditions, you get a bit of rain to contend with, the balls are slightly different and it\u2019s hard. But that\u2019s part of the challenge of Test cricket.\u201d<\/p>\n
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