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Brook counters New Zealand's strong bowling start
Brook counters New Zealand's strong bowling start
Brook scored his eighth Test century before out on 123
Harry Brook once showed his brilliance in the test match and got to the second hundred to save the team at Basin Reserve. Brook and Ollie Pope teamed up again, just like in Christchurch, scoring 174 runs at a fast pace. This came after Matt Henry's great new-ball bowling had left England struggling at 43 for 4.
Brook scored his second-fastest Test century, reaching 100 off 91 balls, making it his eighth overall. Unlike before, New Zealand's fielders offered little help this time. Despite being beaten frequently on a pitch favouring seam bowlers, Brook played freely, smashing 11 fours and five sixes. His innings ended when he was run out while attempting a single, with Nathan Smith hitting the stumps directly.
Pope played well too, as he added a half-century to the series as he bats at number 6. Brook started strong after lunch, driving Smith for four in the first over and looking composed. However, Will O'Rourke's extra bounce tested him in the afternoon session. After surviving a miscue that cleared short leg, he was dismissed in O'Rourke's next over, top-edging a pull shot.
O'Rourke struck again soon after, trapping Ben Stokes on the crease and finding the outside edge for a catch at second slip, leaving England at 222 for 6. Brook then teamed up with Chris Woakes to guide the innings toward tea, but Smith eventually broke their partnership.
New Zealand made a strong start on a "traditional" Wellington pitch, as described by Tom Latham, taking full advantage on the first morning of the second Test. However, Brook and Pope stepped in during a fast-paced opening session to rescue England's innings.
England was in deep trouble at 43 for 4 within the first hour. Henry was outstanding with the new ball, with figures of 4-4-0-2, dismissing both openers. Smith then struck twice in quick succession. But when Brook and Pope, fresh off their match-changing 151-run stand in Christchurch, came together, the momentum shifted almost immediately as they counter-attacked the New Zealand bowlers.
New Zealand's fielding was sharp this time, a stark contrast to their previous match where they dropped eight catches in England's first innings. The highlight was Daryl Mitchell's brilliant one-handed grab to dismiss Joe Root. Despite the pressure, Brook and Pope counter-attacked, forming an unbeaten 81-run partnership off 80 balls to level the game by lunch.
Zak Crawley started the day aggressively, hitting 10 runs in the first over, including an elegant six off Tim Southee. However, England's attacking approach faced a tough test on a pitch favoring the New Zealand bowlers. Early cloud cover cleared by the start of play, leaving a sunny but challenging morning session for England.
Crawley briefly surpassed his previous struggles against New Zealand, but Matt Henry's precise bowling ended his resistance. Henry struck with a perfect delivery that beat Crawley's defense and clipped the stumps, reducing England to 21 for 2. Jacob Bethell also struggled, falling to Jacob Smith's sharp short ball, leaving England at 26 for 3.
Brook, who had rescued England at this ground 20 months earlier, quickly found his rhythm. He struck his first boundary off Henry and built momentum despite losing partners. Pope joined him, flicking his first ball for four and narrowly surviving a run-out chance. The pair shifted gears, with Brook smashing Smith for 20 runs in an over, including a stunning six over cover, while Pope played his part with consecutive boundaries off Southee.
As lunch neared, Brook brought up a 47-ball fifty with powerful strokes, including a soaring six off Will O'Rourke. After the break, he continued his assault, reaching his century with a mix of elegance and power, marked by boundaries off Henry and Smith and a commanding pull for six off Glenn Phillips. It was Brook's third century in four Tests against New Zealand, showcasing his dominance yet again.
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