NZ vs ENG: Harry Brook Targetting Dad’s Highest Score After Shattering Records In Wellington

Brook now has an average of 100.88 in 6 Tests, with 807 runs in nine innings at a strike rate of 99.38.

Wellington: Harry Brook has been a great find for England. The swashbuckling batter tormented New Zealand on Day 1 of the second Test in Wellington and scored his fourth Test century in nine Test innings. Brook ended the day at 184 off 169 to put England in a commanding position.

Brook now has an average of 100.88 in 6 Tests, with 807 runs in nine innings at a strike rate of 99.38. These are staggering numbers for someone as young as Harry Brook but the batter is trying to keep his feet on the ground.

“These are good times at the minute,” Brook said as quoted by The Cricketer. “But one of the things I’ve tried to work on over the last few years is staying as level-headed as possible. Just around the corner there might be bad times so you’ve got to enjoy these moments and cash in as much as I can.

“I’m sure that average will come down very quickly. Like I’ve said, I’m just trying to enjoy the moment and live in what’s happening at the minute. It’s been a good few months.”

Coming down at 21-3, Brook’s counter-attack on a greenish wicket left New Zealand stunned as he stitched a partnership of 294 runs with Joe Root (101*) as England ended the day at 315-3. The stylish batter termed the century and his best so far.

“Yes, that’s definitely the best innings yet,” he said. “The position of the game makes that decision. We lost three early wickets which wasn’t ideal but I came out and tried to counter-punch and be as positive as I could be and thankfully it came off.

“The centuries in Pakistan were amazing and good fun, but they were all very flat pitches. Today wasn’t a flat pitch. It’s a good cricket wicket, but not a flat pitch where you can smack it everywhere. I’ve done that a little bit, but it’s a pretty good pitch.

“It always gets easier when the ball gets a bit older. The longer you bat it gets easier too. The hardest part about batting is the first 20 balls. If you get through that it gradually starts to get easier. The ball got a bit older and it probably didn’t seem to do as much. There was still a little bit there and a little bit of bounce.”

When asked if he has coach Brendon McCullum’s record of the highest score on this ground (302) in mind, Brook said he hasn’t thought about it but said that he wants to break his dad’s record of 210 whch he scored in club cricket.

“No, I hadn’t thought about that at all,” he said. “My dad’s [David] highest score is 210 [for Burley, in club cricket] and my highest score is 194 so that’s in the back of my mind at the minute. But I need to face the first ball tomorrow, which is the main thing.”