WATCH: Harry Brook Completes Whirlwind 4th Test Century On Day 1 Of 2nd Test Vs New Zealand

Young England batter Harry Brook completed his fourth Test century in just his sixth Test match as England made rapid recovery after slipping to 21 for 3 on Day 1 of the second Test against New Zealand in Wellington on Friday (February 24). Brook came into bat in just the 7th over of the match, joining former skipper Joe Root in the middle after New Zealand skipper Tim Southee had dismissed opener Ben Duckett for 9.

Brook took the attack to the New Zealand bowlers in style, completing his 50 off just 51 balls with 10 boundaries in his innings. Brook and Root partnership brought up fifty off 73 balls for the fourth wicket.

Root, who was dismissed attempting two reverse scoops in the first Test against New Zealand, decided to play the anchor role to support Brook. The young Sunrisers Hyderabad batter hammered his first six of the innings off New Zealand all-rounder Daryl Mitchell.

After missing out on a ton in the first innings of the first Test, Brook – who had scored three centuries in three Tests against Pakistan last year – completed his fourth ton off 107 with 14 fours and 2 sixes.

WATCH Harry Brook complete his fourth Test century here…

Harry Brook has 4 centuries and 3 fifties from just 9 innings in Test cricket.

Unbelievable start by the 24 year old sensation from England. pic.twitter.com/TDmUldFEAS — Mufaddal Vohra (@mufaddal_vohra) February 24, 2023

Root, at the other end, played a watchful innings – bringing up his fifty off 122 balls with just two fours in his innings. The second session has belonged to England so far as Brook and Root partnership put on 200 runs for the fourth wicket off just 262 balls in spite of losing three early wickets.

By the 52nd over of the innings, Brook was batting on 125 off 127 balls with 17 fours and 2 sixes and Root was on 72 off 146 balls with England reaching 226 for 3.

Earlier, New Zealand captain Tim Southee won the toss and combined with Matt Henry on a greenish pitch to have England 21-3 in the seventh over. Brook responded with his fourth consecutive half century and put on 80 with Joe Root (23) to lift England to 101-3 at lunch.

The appearance of the pitch at the Basin Reserve often is misleading on the first morning of a test when the covers are drawn back and it appears bright green in the sunlight. Many teams have foundered in the past by capitulating to its lure and bowling first.

Southee’s decision to bowl might partly have been encouraged by the pitch but also by his reluctance to expose his fragile top order early on to Stuart Broad and James Anderson who twice routed the New Zealand batters to bowl England to a 267-run win in the first Test. The Basin Reserve pitch offered more pace and bounce than the first test pitch at Bay Oval and there was a little movement early on.

Henry used that movement to advantage, probing on a full fourth stump line to remove Zac Crawley (2) and Ollie Pope (10) while Southee dismissed Ben Duckett (9) with the help of a brilliant catch by Michael Bracewell at second slip. Crawley had to play at a ball from Henry which just nipped away, took the outside edge and carried to wicketkeeper Tom Blundell.

Pope also offered a straight bat to a ball from Henry which moved away to find the edge and give Bracewell his first catch of the day. Southee furnished the second with a ball pitched across Duckett which flew wide of Bracewell, who juggled it but took the catch diving to his left.

(with PTI inputs)