"Harry Brook is either going to end up a) in a psyche ward or b) overtaking Sachin Tendulkar" - Fans hail England batter after sensational 100
Young England batter Harry Brook continued his stellar form with the bat in the second Test against New Zealand on Friday, December 6, at Basin Reserve in Wellington. Fans lavished praise on the 25-year-old as he raced to his eighth Test century and rescued the English side after they were reduced to 43/4.
Asked to bat first, the visitors were in all sorts of trouble, losing Zak Crawley, Ben Duckett, and Joe Root early. Jacob Bethell also followed suit soon after, with the scorecard reading 43. Brook then took matters into his own hands to take his side out of choppy waters. He and Ollie Pope stitched an excellent 174-run stand for the fifth wicket.
Brook played a fluent knock, racing to the three-figure mark in just 91 deliveries. In the process, he became the third cricketer after Yashasvi Jaiswal and Joe Root to score 1000 Test runs in this calendar year. In 11 Tests this year, the Yorkshire batter has amassed 1044 runs at an average of over 60, including four tons and three fifties.
Fans were impressed with how Harry Brook went about his business despite his side under pressure. A few called him a generational talent and touted him to go past Sachin Tendulkar's numbers in international cricket.
Here are some reactions:
"I can watch this all night! Harry BROOK you beauty!" a fan wrote on X.
"Harry Brook is either going to end up a) in a psyche ward or b) overtaking Sachin Tendulkar," a fan wrote.
"Harry Brook is one of the most exciting young talents I've seen. He has an extraordinary ability to play all around the ground," another wrote.
Brook was run out for 123 off 115 balls, including 11 boundaries and five sixes. England were eventually bundled out for 280 runs, with Nathan Smith and William O'Rourke returning with four and three wickets, respectively.
England hunt back with five quick wickets after Harry Brook century
The English bowlers backed the good work done by Harry Brook, picking up five New Zealand wickets quickly. Gus Atkinson was the first to strike, removing Devon Conway for just 11 runs.
Tom Latham and Kane Williamson shared a small partnership but Ben Stokes provided a massive breakthrough to put his side back on top. Brydon Carse picked up two more, while Chris Woakes chipped in with one to reduce Blackcaps to 79/5.
At Stumps on Day 1 (December 6), the Kiwis are batting at 86/5, with Tom Blundell and William O'Rourke in the middle.