Harry Brook halts Williamson’s record run as New Zealand set England target
Was Harry Brook, a £1.3m signing by Sunrisers Hyderabad in the recent Indian Premier League auction, possibly undervalued?At the end of the fourth day at the Basin Reserve, one which witnessed a Kane Williamson masterclass and an England fightback, and set up an intriguing conclusion to this two-Test series, it somehow wasn’t an entirely ridiculous question.Brook scored that eye-watering deal on the basis of his incendiary batting and yet the young Yorkshireman, it transpires, has another string to his bow: partnership breaker, catalyst for a collapse and, most remarkably, kryptonite to a superman performance from Williamson on the day he became New Zealand’s record run-scorer.
Sign up to The Spin
Subscribe to our cricket newsletter for our writers' thoughts on the biggest stories and a review of the week’s action
after newsletter promotion
Anyone who rocked up after tea unaware of the match situation was soon given a fair indication when, over the PA system, came the words “from the Adelaide Road End ... Harry Brook”. New Zealand were 442-5 following on – a lead of 226 – and with Ben Stokes unable to bowl due to that long-standing knee issue, and his seamers cooked after 147 overs in the dirt, the point of desperation had been reached.And yet 18 balls into Brook’s array of 65mph dobblers – they’re reasonably accurate, it must be said, sent down off the wrong foot – Williamson possibly feathered a catch to wicketkeeper Ben Foakes down leg. Foakes didn’t appeal, Joe Root at mid-wicket wondered whether he had heard something and Stokes took a good while to decide if he was seriously going to hand Brook a review.As soon as the big screen showed a tremor on Snickometer, hysterics broke out among the England huddle. In