England in New Zealand: Harry Brook century in vain as Joe Root, Ben Duckett and Jamie Smith fall cheaply

It is no secret England are using this tour, including the stop-start rain-affected T20s that preceded these ODIs, to build towards the Ashes.

While others are yet to find form, the question for Brook, who scored 78 in the second T20 last week, is whether he can maintain his through the switch in conditions and formats. On the evidence so far, the answer is a resounding yes.

Batting was perilously difficult when he came in.

Brook was hit on the body three times as he failed to score from his first six deliveries. He advanced to his seventh to drive Matt Henry through the covers and it showed him the way.

The 26-year-old reached 50 in 36 deliveries before settling into a stand of 87 with Jamie Overton. When Overton fell to a leading edge for 46, Carse and Adil Rashid quickly followed and Brook cut loose while farming the strike to protect Wood.

He hit three consecutive sixes off Jacob Duffy to reach his hundred and struck another three in one over from Henry – targeting the leg side and dispatching anything short by either flicking it over fine leg or cracking it over mid-wicket.

The low-key nature of this series and the fact it came in a disappointing defeat should not prevent this knock from being rated among the best for England in ODIs.

He scored 60.5% of England’s runs – putting him 12th on the all-time list for that statistic in ODIs. It was also Brook’s highest score in the format.

Source link