Harry Brook’s remarkable rise continued with a big face undefeated as he shared a game-changing partnership with his fellow captain. Joe Root On day one of England’s Test decision against New Zealand in Wellington.
The duo, who came together, came together with the pressure on him, England He dropped to 21 in the third after a green field in Basin Reserve, but changed the situation in a stylish way by stacking to an uninterrupted 294 grandstand reaching 315 in the third.
Brook was in astonishing form when five sixes and 24 fours bullied the Black Caps attack 184 notches in an authoritative hit featuring Root 101no on the stumps.
Brook achieved four Hundred Tests in just six Tests, the success of the Australian great Sir, the sport’s gold standard. donald bradman – and is currently the top scorer in Test history after nine innings. Vinod Kambli from India had this distinction before, but quickly walked away, raising his Brook Test average to a barely believable 108.
The master/apprentice dynamic among his Yorkshire teammates was turned upside down, while left Root’s emphatic display of batsman, a viable contender for England’s greatest batsman ever, was reversed in the supporting role.
While happily handing the spotlight to Brook, who celebrated her 24th birthday this week, Root managed to make money by posting the 29th face and first in eight Tests.
Talking about his struggle to define his role in Ben Stokes and Brendon McCullum’s overly aggressive regime last week, Root returned to the calm and controlled rhythm that brought him more than 10,000 Test runs.
Still, this was a day to enjoy another special talent. These were the biggest and best hits of Brook’s young career, building from a dangerous position and displaying astonishing range.
Kiwi swung her attack all over the place, driving hard and accurately, pulling with authority and throwing her hands out as any sign of breadth. He couldn’t particularly mind Daryl Mitchell’s mid-pace, repeatedly pumping the all-rounder to the ground and scooping him for a six over the slender leg at one stage of the evening session.
This creative tension has also seen bowlers go around his crease to break his streak and open the New Zealand captain’s scoring zones. Tim Southee never thought of wearing it.
New Zealand had an almost perfect start to the proceedings, eagerly thrusting the opposition onto a grassy surface, as Stokes admitted that British sailors “licked their lips”.
It took a little over half an hour for the Kiwis to knock England’s top spot out of the equation, Matt Henry celebrated his return with a double fresh ball hit, and Michael Bracewell caught a stunning slip to knock out Ben Duckett.
Zak Crawley was the first to fall, beating Henry with just two shorts to his name, his last unconvincing response to questions about his place next door. He has now been sacked four times in single digits in his last six visits, and has seen his Test average drop below 28 in the process.
Henry got another one when it was too good for Ollie Pope, who sent a thick edge to Bracewell on the cord, to attack from the stump line. It was a sharp chance, he was captured safely, but pale in comparison to his next grab from Southee – he threw himself back and forth to single-handedly shoot the ball from the air.
Everything that followed was downhill for New Zealand. Brook started his job of changing the momentum with three consecutive fours from Southee, with the third one step off the field and the violent crack at the time of impact. Where that came from there would be so much more.
Surviving a first-ball lbw appeal, Root flew under the radar as he settled for a long stay, but Brook’s natural enthusiasm got him past 50 by lunchtime. Another 136 laps flowed between lunch and tea, Brook set the tone with a pristine ride from Henry and beat Mitchell with a stick for a matching pair of sixes on the ground.
New Zealand’s decision to play in the bowler light for this match seemed like a mistake, as Neil Wagner’s short ball diet was ineffective and Southee struggled to land a hit. In ’99, Brook cut the ropes by celebrating what had quickly become a familiar success with Root.
The tea break did little to reinvigorate the host, who was trying to kick the ball out and only bringing out the creative side in England. Demonstrating his blunt power play, Brook was now throwing balls into the third-man border.
Root was also raising the bar, fast-tracking the eighties and nineties and pulling his new favorite toy, an upside-down ramp over sleds. One hundred went out of 182 deliveries, just ahead of the rain shower that ended England’s offensive.