Harry Brook made quick-fire scores of 89 and 54 vs New Zealand as he continued his stunning start in Test cricket; Ben Stokes says Brook will become a “global superstar”; Stokes delighted with ‘clinical’ and ‘entertaining’ England as James Anderson and Stuart Broad ‘set the standard’
Ben Stokes backed Harry Brook to become a “global superstar” after a “clinical” and “entertaining” England thumped New Zealand in the first Test for a sixth victory in a row.
Player of the Match Brook, 23, made scores of 89 from 81 balls and then 54 from 41 during England’s 267-run win in the pink-ball Test at Bay Oval and now has six fifty-plus scores in his eight Test knocks, including three centuries in as many games in Pakistan in December.
The Yorkshireman’s Test strike-rate of 96.88 is a perfect fit for the style captain Stokes and head coach Brendon McCullum have instilled since taking charge last spring, one which has yielded 10 wins in 11 Tests with a sole defeat against South Africa.
Stokes said: “Brooky is carrying on from his amazing series in Pakistan. He is a fantastic talent. I think he will go on to be a global superstar.
“The more senior guys with the bat have to take a lot of credit for allowing the young guys to go out and express themselves.
“They are trying to put on a show, which is what everyone wants to do and is being allowed to do. It has taken the weight off everyone’s shoulders and the expectation only comes from the dressing room.
“Not only have I got an unbelievable bowling attack, we’ve also got a seriously skilled and very brave batting line-up. As much as it is me captaining the side, the team obviously have to take a lot of credit for the sort of record I have as a captain, even more than myself.”
Stokes: Everything we tried to do paid off
England – who became the first team to score 500 on the opening day of a Test match when they played Pakistan in Rawalpindi in December – racked up 325-9 declared inside 59 overs on day one of the first Test against New Zealand before sending the hosts in to bat under the lights.
New Zealand slumped to 37-3 by stumps that evening before rallying to 306 all out the following day but their hopes of pulling off what would have been a Black Caps-record chase of 394 were all but ended the next time they batted under lights thank to Stuart Broad.
The England seamer’s four-wicket burst – the first strike of which made him and James Anderson the most prolific Test bowling partnership off all time – left New Zealand 63-5 at the end of day three and Anderson struck four times the next afternoon as the tourists rolled their opponents for 126.
Stokes said: “It was another great performance – very clinical with the bat and very clinical with the ball. It was entertaining cricket.
“Even though we came away with the result, [entertaining] is what we want to do. Some days it is not going to work but thankfully everything we tried to do paid off.
“The most pleasing thing was that whatever New Zealand threw at us with the ball we managed to react. Then when you look at the bowling attack we have got with the pink ball under the lights, we executed everything we wanted.
James Anderson and Stuart Broad were first paired in Test cricket on England’s tour of New Zealand in 2008
‘Anderson and Broad set the standard’
“With Jimmy and Broady, it is always going to be tough for the opposition. Having Anderson and Broad makes captaincy a lot easier because you just throw them the ball and they’ll probably get a wicket for you.
“Not only were they brilliant this whole game with the ball but we’ve got a 40-year-old and a 36-year-old setting the standard of what we’re about in the field in terms of energy.
“They’re setting a great example for anyone who wants to look at having a long career in professional sport. Seeing them with three lions on their chests is great, I don’t really want to think too far ahead as to when they might call time on their careers.
“There is a tactical thing around these day-night games, really looking to take advantage of the new ball under lights, when the ball does a lot more.
“The way we set the game up and the pace we scored at allowed us to get ahead of the game and we were able to inflict some hard damage with the new ball on day one.
“I am pretty blessed to be in charge of this bowling group at the moment. The idea is to take 10 wickets and that is what we are trying to do – taking the scoreboard away in any situation.
“As long as we are taking 10 wickets, it doesn’t really matter how many runs we go for. We have an ethos with the bat but also with the ball.”
England will now look to wrap up the series in Wellington – a victory would earn a seventh Test win in a row, something they have not achieved since 2004.
Atherton: ‘Undroppable’ Brook has given selectors a real problem
Former England captain Michael Atherton says Brook’s performances have given the team’s selectors a “real problem” ahead of this summer’s Ashes series against Australia.
“It’s going to be a real problem for the selectors when everybody is fit and available,” Atherton told Sky Sports News. “Jonny Bairstow is back to doing some light training – when he’ll be ready for selection, who knows. Given the summer he had last year, how do you fit him into the team, given how Harry Brook has gone in his absence?
Former England captain Michael Atherton says Harry Brook’s performances have given England’s Test selectors a ‘real problem’ as Jonny Bairstow’s return to fitness looms.
“Brook is undroppable really. He’s just won his third man of the match after this game. He’s had an incredible start to his Test career and he’s one of the best young players in the world, so he has to play.
“Unless there’s an injury between now and then, it is problematic. I’m not sure which way the selectors will go.”
Follow England’s second and final Test against New Zealand, at Basin Reserve in Wellington, across Sky Sports’ digital platforms, from 10pm on Thursday night.