24 February 2023 , 09:26
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Harry Brook continued his remarkable start to life as a Test match cricketer with an outstanding 184 not out against New Zealand in Wellington, breaking two stunning records in the process.
Since making his debut against South Africa last September after Jonny Bairstow suffered a freak golf injury and broke his leg, Brook has enjoyed a golden run of form. He has smashed a total of 807 runs at an average of 100.87 in nine innings so far, including four hundreds and three half-centuries.
No other batter has scored more runs than Brook in their first nine Test innings, with the 24-year-old surpassing Vinod Kambli's record of 798 runs. And in striking his fourth century in just his sixth Test, Brook equalled Sir Don Bradman's record except he did it in nine innings while Bradman did it in 11.
He also averages more than Bradman, who famously ended his career having scored 6,996 runs at 99.94 in 52 Tests. And Brook has another historic record firmly in his sights, with the Yorkshireman needing a further 193 runs to reach 1,000.
Herbert Sutcliffe and Everton Weekes jointly hold the record for being the fastest to 1,000 Test runs, needing just 12 innings to do so, and Brook has an excellent chance of breaking their record.
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However, such landmarks are the furthest thing from Brook's mind as he heads into day two eyeing a first ever double hundred. "I haven't thought about [records] at all to be honest," he admitted.
Brook shared an unbeaten 294-run partnership with Joe Root in the second Test between England and New Zealand in Wellington (Hagen Hopkins/Getty Images)"It's good times at the minute but just around the corner there might be bad times so you've got to enjoy these moments and cash in as much as I can. One of the things I've really tried to do is stay as level headed as possible, but it's been a good few months.
"I'm sure the average will come down very quickly but I'm just trying to live in what's happening at the minute. It's definitely my best century yet because of the situation of the game.
"The ones in Pakistan were amazing and good fun to be out there but they were all on flat pitches. Today I wouldn't say it was a flat pitch, it is a good cricket wicket, but it is not a flat pitch where you can just smack it everywhere."