Harry Brook sets his sights on beating his dad’s highest score of 210 after making history

Harry Brook made history here today in the test and then set his sights on a very personal milestone: beating his father’s highest score.

Brook made an astonishing 184 unbeaten, his fourth Test century in only his sixth appearance, as England rallied from 21 for three after losing a major toss to finish an abbreviated first day of the second Test at Basin Reserve on 313 for three.

It means he has now scored more runs than anyone in Test history after nine innings, 807 and counting, after joining Joe Root in an unbroken partnership of 294, a record for England’s fourth wicket against New Zealand.

But what mattered most to Brook was aiming tomorrow to beat the highest score of his father David, who once made an unbeaten 210 for his hometown of Burley against Woodhouse in the Yorkshire Air-Wharfe League.

“My highest score is 194, so beating my father’s best is on my mind at the moment,” Brook said when asked if he could aim for England manager Brendon McCullum’s triple century for New Zealand here against India.

Harry Brook made Test history by scoring an astonishing 184 unbeaten, his fourth Test century in only his sixth appearance.

Brook has now scored more runs than anyone in Test history after nine innings of 807

‘I was only two years old when my dad did that!’ But obviously I have to think about facing the first ball tomorrow first.

Brook insisted he would remain calm after an extraordinary start to his international career that has seen him make three centuries in three tests against Pakistan and win a Twenty20 World Cup in his first six months as an England player.

He is now dominating this two match series, taking man of the match award for two scintillating half centuries in the first Test at Mount Maunganui.

“It’s definitely my best century so far because of the game situation,” Brook said.

Brook joined Joe Root in an unbroken partnership of 294, a record for the fourth wicket.

“We lost three wickets early, which wasn’t ideal, but I went out there and tried to fight back and be as positive as possible.” Fortunately it was worth it.

“I just said in the dressing room that I’m having good moments at the moment, but there may be other bad moments around the corner, so I have to enjoy these moments and take advantage of everything I can.” One of the things I’ve worked on is keeping my senses.

Root reached his twenty-ninth Test century and the first in eight matches of what became the last ball of the day before rain struck Wellington and Brook revealed his “master and apprentice” game plan.

“We were trying to discourage bowlers,” Brook added. “We were moving up and down the field and trying to rotate the strike and create a partnership. In fact, Joe was more excited than I was when I hit a hundred. It was a good moment.’