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Brook smashes ton to put England on top in 2nd NZ Test

Saturday, 7 December 2024


WELLINGTON, Dec 06 (AFP): Harry Brook smashed a century and England then took five New Zealand wickets in the final session to put the visitors on top after the first day of the second Test on Friday.
The Black Caps were 86-5 in response to England's 280, with Brydon Carse capturing the key wicket of Kane Williamson soon before stumps to cap an enthralling day.
At close Tom Blundell was on seven and nightwatchman Will O'Rourke yet to score.
It was a fast-moving opening day, in a similar vein to the first Test in Christchurch, which England won by eight wickets in three and a half days. Brook set the tone with his brilliant 123 off 115 balls, following on from his match-winning 171 at Hagley Oval.
He again rescued England, who had crumbled in the first hour to 43-4 after being sent in on a green Basin Reserve pitch.
Brook described it as the "favourite" of his eight centuries in 23 Tests, surpassing even his 317 against Pakistan on a friendly batting surface in Multan in October.
With England in trouble, he took the fight to the home seamers by charging down the pitch to put them off their line.
"Just the circumstances really. The pitch was doing quite a bit, seaming and swinging, and I put my attacking mode on, really took it to them," Brook said.
"In the situation of the game, and the way I played, I felt I was really putting them under a lot of pressure."
New Zealand's top order had no answer against seam and bounce through an intense last 26 overs of the day.
Devon Conway was caught behind off Gus Atkinson for 11 before fellow opener Tom Latham was clean-bowled by captain counterpart Ben Stokes for 17.
Rachin Ravindra departed for three, caught by a diving Carse in close off Chris Woakes.
The lively Carse (2-28) then claimed danger man Williamson, caught by diving wicketkeeper Ollie Pope for 37.
Daryl Mitchell, on six, snicked a second catch to Pope, down the leg side off Carse.