Brook’s fighting ton rescues England

Harry Brook scored a brilliant century to drag England right back into the first Test, driving the tourists to within 29 runs of New Zealand’s tally of 348 on 319/5 at the end of Day 2.

The tourists were well and truly on the ropes at 71/4 in the second session but Brook and Ollie Pope put together a battling partnership of 151 for the fifth wicket to cut the deficit in half by tea. Both benefited from some uncharacteristically sloppy fielding from the Black Caps before Glenn Phillips produced a gully catch for the ages off the bowling of Tim Southee to remove Pope for 77.

Brook, having brought up his half century with one of his two sixes, forged on to pass 2,000 career runs and secured his seventh century in 22 Tests when he sent one of his 10 fours racing to the Hagley Oval boundary.

The 25-year-old reached 132 from 163 deliveries at stumps with his captain Ben Stokes alongside him on 37 not out and English hopes of taking a 1-0 lead in the three-match series very much revived.