England vs Pakistan report: Joe Root hits second Test double-century in dominant display

The hosts' vice-captain motored on during the first session on Saturday

Root celebrates reaching 150 at Old Trafford on the second day (Getty)

Joe Root made his second Test double-century as England piled the pressure on Pakistan at Old Trafford.

England went to tea on day two of the second Investec Test on 533 for six, with Root unbeaten on a career-best 226 having received good support from Chris Woakes (58), Ben Stokes (34) and Jonny Bairstow (32 not out).

Root and captain Alastair Cook did much of the hardest work with their hundreds on day one, and the Yokshireman's reward on the resumption was an obvious opportunity to scale the list of England's highest individual scores.

He duly became only the second Englishman to make a double-hundred at this venue, following Ken Barrington's 256 against Australia 52 years ago, as the hosts took complete control.

Root was less fluent than on day one but kept his concentration for a painstaking 355-ball milestone which arrived when he reverse-swept the world's number one bowler Yasir Shah for his 22nd four.

Woakes, a nightwatchman purely in name only with nine first-class hundreds on his CV, was England's driving force early on, in the first hour especially.

He did his first job the previous evening, with just two to his name from 16 balls, but soon took the lead role.

There were early off-side boundaries off either foot against Rahat Ali, and then a memorable upper-cut six off Mohammad Amir.

Root took the majority of Amir's spell as he set himself again for an extended stay.

By the time he counted his first four of the day - an edge which might have done for him on 155 off Yasir had Younus Khan been more alert at slip - Woakes had hit seven boundaries to go with his six.

He added another four in his 88-ball 50, his second in five innings.

There had been a painful early blow to Woakes' right forearm when Rahat found a little variable bounce from the pavilion end, but otherwise zero discomfort until he poked a caught-and-bowled back at Yasir.

At that point, the leg-spinner had followed his 10 for 141 at Lord's with one for 139 here - and would move towards a less gratifying double-hundred of his own before England were done.

Pakistan's troubles also included a minor injury scare for Amir, off the field for a time after his initial spell but officially with no significant problem and fit to bowl well again after lunch.

It was to no avail as Root moved to his best Test score and figured in two more half-century stands - with Stokes and Bairstow - in his 10-hour innings.

Stokes had some fortune, depositing a mis-sweep at Yasir safely on 25, but less perhaps when Wahab Riaz had him caught-behind after overturning a caught-behind decision off the glove via an extensive DRS procedure.

Then Bairstow had an escape on nine when Sarfraz Ahmed could not hold another chance off Yasir.