On Day 4 of the third Ashes 2023 Test at Headingley in Leeds, England secured a thrilling victory over Australia by three wickets, thanks to an outstanding batting performance by Harry Brook. The talented right-hander showcased his skills by smashing an impressive 75 runs off just 93 balls, playing a pivotal role in England’s successful pursuit of a target of 251 runs.
Brook formed a vital partnership with Chris Woakes, who remained unbeaten on 32 runs from 47 balls, as the duo rescued England from a precarious position of 171-6.
Expressing his gratitude, Brook acknowledged England’s head coach, Brendon McCullum, for sending him back to bat at No. 5 in the lineup after a disappointing score of just three runs at No. 3 in the first innings.
“Baz (Brendon McCullum) just came up yesterday morning and said, ‘You’re going back to five’. I think Mo (Ali) wanted to go up to three and try to put the pressure on those guys,” Brook said to Sky Sports.
“I’ve batted there (at No. 5) for the last four or five years of my career, whether it’s for England or Yorkshire, so I probably feel most comfortable there. I’m happy to just be in the 11, to be honest,” the 24-year-old added.
During his innings, the Keighley-born achieved a remarkable milestone of becoming the first player to surpass 1,000 runs in terms of balls faced. Across the three Tests in the series, he has amassed 210 runs, including two half-centuries, demonstrating his consistency and ability to contribute with the bat.
Harry Brook is now the fastest to complete 1000 Test runs #TestCricket #CricketTwitter pic.twitter.com/5AOce9AdEC
— CricketTimes.com (@CricketTimesHQ) July 10, 2023
Despite his impressive performance, the young English batter expressed a sense of disappointment with himself for not being able to see England through to victory as he was dismissed due to a rash shot when the team needed approximately 20 runs to win. However, Brook acknowledged the crucial contribution of Mark Wood, who played a quickfire cameo of 16 not out off just eight balls, ultimately securing the triumph for England.
“I’m not one to blow up when I get in the changing room, but I had a little blow-up today because I like getting us over the line, and it was annoying I didn’t (do it) today, but I’m happy we won. Everybody was buzzing, and it was tense for a little while, but when Woody hit that six, we knew it was on,” Brook concluded.
Speaking of the series, with two defeats in the previous Tests, England currently trails 2-1 in the red-ball leg. They now look ahead to the fourth Test scheduled to take place at Old Trafford, Manchester, starting on Wednesday (July 19). The hosts will be aiming to level the series and regain momentum as they continue their battle against Australia in the Ashes.
