London, Feb 24 (AFP/APP): Harry Brook is rewriting cricket’s record books after an astonishing start to his Test career that lifts him into rarefied company alongside even Australia great Donald Bradman.
The 24-year-old Yorkshireman scored his fourth Test century in just his sixth match on Friday, smashing a commanding 184 not out on day one of the second Test against New Zealand to help England recover from a perilous position.
Brook struck 24 fours and five sixes in his unbeaten knock to take his tally to 807 runs in nine innings — more than anybody else in Test history has managed at that stage of their career.
India great Sunil Gavaskar (912) and Bradman (862) scored more in their first six Tests — but Brook could yet go past them during the current match.
Aside from the sheer weight of runs, it is the style and speed with which Brook has made those scores that has caught the eye.
Alastair Cook, England’s all-time record Test run-scorer, described his innings in Wellington, where Joe Root scored a more sedate century, as “astonishing”.
“I’m expecting him to be able to dominate Test cricket, 50-over cricket, 20-over cricket, and be one of the all-time great players — without putting too much pressure on him!” he said.
Brook, who currently boasts a staggering Test batting average of over a hundred, may not even have had his chance to shine had Jonny Bairstow not suffered a broken leg in freakish circumstances while walking on a golf course.
That injury paved the way for him to make his Test debut against South Africa at the Oval in September, where his 12 runs in one innings did not give an accurate foretaste of the fireworks to come.
He made three hundreds in three Tests during England’s victorious tour of Pakistan in December, racking up 468 runs in just five innings on batting-friendly pitches.
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