England’s innings at Mount Maunganui began in chaos and ended in admiration, thanks to one man. Harry Brook produced a masterclass of composure and clean hitting, scoring a magnificent 135 off 112 balls, rescuing his side from the brink of humiliation against New Zealand. His was an innings that combined temperament with talent, turning despair into respectability as England finished on 223 all out.
Collapse and Crisis
From the very first delivery, it was evident England were in trouble. Jamie Smith perished off the opening ball, and what followed was a procession of wickets that left the visitors reeling. Ben Duckett, Joe Root, Jacob Bethell, and even captain Jos Buttler failed to make any impression as the scoreboard read an alarming 56 for 6.
New Zealand’s new-ball duo, Zak Foulkes and Matt Henry, exploited every hint of movement, making the English batting order look clueless. It was a display of swing bowling mastery, but amid the wreckage, Brook stood tall.
Brook Battles Back
Displaying the calmness of a veteran and the fearlessness of youth, Brook began rebuilding. He picked his moments beautifully — defending with soft hands early on and exploding later once he’d read the conditions. His partnership with Jamie Overton (46) added vital stability, lifting England to 143 for 6, before another mini-collapse saw them slump again to 166 for 9.
But Brook wasn’t done. Shielding the tail and farming the strike with intelligence, he launched into the Kiwi bowlers, dispatching spinners and seamers alike with audacious sixes and piercing drives. Every shot was a reminder of why many believe he is England’s next great batting hope.
A Lone Warrior’s Ovation
When Mitchell Santner finally deceived him with a flighted delivery, Brook fell for a career-best 135, greeted by a standing ovation. His innings was more than just runs, it was a statement of resilience.
On a day when England’s batting crumbled, Harry Brook’s hundred stood tall, shining as a symbol of class and courage in the face of collapse.
ENG 1st innings scorecard:
England Inning
223-10 (35.2 ov) CRR:6.31
Batter
R
B
4s
6s
SR
Jamie Smith
b M Henry
0
1
0
0
0
Ben Duckett
c T Latham b Z Foulkes
2
4
0
0
50
Joe Root
b Z Foulkes
2
6
0
0
33.33
Jacob Bethell
b Z Foulkes
2
12
0
0
16.67
Harry Brook (C)
c N Smith b M Santner
135
101
9
11
133.66
Jos Buttler (WK)
c T Latham b M Henry
4
8
1
0
50
Sam Curran
c T Latham b Z Foulkes
6
10
1
0
60
Jamie Overton
c D Mitchell b JA Duffy
46
54
6
1
85.19
Brydon Carse
c K Williamson b JA Duffy
0
1
0
0
0
Adil Rashid
c MG Bracewell b JA Duffy
4
12
0
0
33.33
Luke Wood
Not out
5
4
1
0
125
Extras
17 (b 0, Ib 3, w 13, nb 1, p 0)
Total
223 (10 wkts, 35.2 Ov)
Fall of Wickets
0-1(Jamie Smith 0.1),4-2(Ben Duckett 1.3),5-3(Joe Root 1.6),10-4(Jacob Bethell 5.1),33-5(Jos Buttler 8.3),56-6(Sam Curran 11.3),143-7(Jamie Overton 25.5),143-8(Brydon Carse 25.6),166-9(Adil Rashid 29.6),223-10(Harry Brook 35.2)
Bowler
O
M
R
W
NB
WD
ECO
Matt Henry
9
2
53
2
0
3
5.89
Zakary Foulkes
7
1
41
4
0
3
5.86
Nathan Smith
6
0
49
0
0
1
8.17
Jacob Duffy
6
0
55
3
1
6
9.17
Mitchell Santner
7.2
0
22
1
0
0
3
