>
The ball went off the inside edge and fell to the ground while trying to pull Neil Wagner off, slamming into his thigh and then somehow nearly dislodged the bails.
The latest display of Harry Brook’s exceptional talent had come to its most unfortunate conclusion just when it seemed history was calling to him.
This was another action packed day of Test cricket played in fast forward to launch this series as Brendon McCullum brought ‘Bazball’ back to his native New Zealand.
And at the center of it all was a batsman who has made such a spectacular start to his England career that he already looks set to break a mountain of records across all formats.
Brook could easily have claimed two of those records today at Mount Maunganui before going down for 89 from 81 balls in England’s 325 for nine declared in just 58.2 overs.
He first became the last England batsman to challenge one of the oldest records in the book when it looked as if he would reach triple figures in fewer than the 76 deliveries Gilbert Jessop took to make a hundred against Australia at the Oval in 1902.
Jimmy Anderson took two key New Zealand wickets as England finished the first day on top
Anderson took the wickets of Kane Williamson and Henry Nicholls after Ollie Robinson (right) got the ball rolling by dismissing Tom Latham
Ben Duckett embraced ‘Bazball’ with a remarkable 84 from 68 balls to start the England innings
He found 14 caps in an impressive display to put England in control from the start.
Then, as the spotlight took hold and the batting became a tricky exercise, Brook became a bit more circumspect as he approached his fourth century in consecutive Tests, which in itself would have equaled an England record held by Ken. Barrington as he claimed another first for making four Test hundreds in his first seven innings.
It wasn’t by some great misfortune right after Brook got restless when Wagner hit him hard on the helmet.
But what a player England have in the 23-year-old, who bagged centuries in each of his three wins in Pakistan before Christmas, and how he dealt with a weakened New Zealand attack yesterday.
Tim Southee banked on early movement on a green but flat course when he chose to bowl in this first test of day and night and was rewarded when Zak Crawley went down after a horrible tackle in which he could and should have been sent off twice before falling into four.
But it was then that another England batsman threatened Jessop’s record, achieved in slightly dubious circumstances when innings were measured more on time than deliveries, just as Jonny Bairstow did against New Zealand at Trent Bridge and Zak Crawley in Pakistan.
Ben Duckett has returned to the England Test squad with flying colors but needs to impress in this two-Test series to ensure he is not the player to give way when Bairstow return this summer. After today, Duckett can look forward to an Ashes summer.
There’s no question about Duckett’s ability against spin, but here he showed he can be effective against pace, albeit with a home attack stripped of Kyle Jamieson and Matt Henry and choosing not to call on Trent Boult, struggling to justify inserting his captain.
Harry Brook joined in on the fun, reaching 16 caps in his innings of 89 of 81 deliveries.
New Zealand bowler Neil Wagner checks on Brook after hitting him on the helmet
Duckett said ahead of this Test that England could go “even harder” against the pink ball than in their transformation under McCullum and Ben Stokes that has brought them nine wins from 10 Tests, and that’s exactly what they did, hitting 14 fours in 84 of 68 balls.
And even as Duckett saw Jessop’s record on the line too soon against debutant Blair Tickner, Ollie Pope perished on a loose drive and Joe Root was caught trying to hit his second reverse scoop for four, but found Daryl Mitchell anticipating the slip shot, england. , as is his custom, he kept coming.
None other than Brook. The Yorkshire man manages to combine a textbook forward defense with classic, unorthodox attacking stroke play and an incredible amount of power as well.
Here he showed his full repertoire, most notably when he floored Southee to the ground for four and then played the shot of day one, a beautiful lofted straight for six from the next ball.
Zak Crawley was bowled off by Wagner for just four runs as New Zealand made an early gain
When Stokes took an ugly beating (his determination to be selfless and lead by example isn’t exactly helping his batting), England were 209 for five and in danger of not being where they should be in their rush to dominate and entertain.
But thanks to Brook and the spirited contributions of Ben Foakes and Ollie Robinson Stokes was able to make the second-earliest declaration in Test history and attempt to reach New Zealand when conditions were more bowler-friendly.
It worked when Robinson found Tom Latham’s inside edge on the platform and Pope caught him well low on short leg and should have done it again when Crawley dropped a cart on second slip to pardon Devon Conway in nine against Jimmy Anderson.
But Stokes’ statement was fully justified as Anderson claimed key wicket from Kane Williamson lbw despite England needing a review when Aleem Dar said he was not out and then added Henry Nicholls with Crawley this time seizing the opportunity safely .
New Zealand finished on 37 for three, still 288 behind, with England in control, but knowing the bowling should be much more difficult in daylight on the second day.
When England played a Test here at the Bay Oval just over three years ago, they made just 241 for four in 90 overs on the first day on their way to an innings resounding defeat. How the weather has changed and how exciting this series already seems to be for England.
Mostly by the young torchbearer ‘Bazball’ in Brook and the rejuvenated old man in Anderson.