Watch: Harry Brook unfurled a delectable lofted drive for six over Tim Southee’s head during an eventful, boundary-filled knock on the opening day of the first New Zealand-England Test.

Brook continued his glorious form in Test cricket with yet another fifty on the first day of the Mount Maunganui Test, reaching the milestone in just 43 balls. He now has five fifty-plus scores from his first seven innings in Test cricket. Earlier this month, he smashed five sixes in a row against a New Zealand XI during a tour game ahead of the first Test.

Coming in at 152-3, at the fall of Ollie Pope’s wicket, Brook targeted the New Zealand bowlers from the get-go. By the dinner break, he had reached 79 from 64 balls with the help of 14 fours and one six.

The six was a delightful strike: off the third ball of the 43rd over, Brook held his pose and launched Tim Southee over the long-off rope for the first six of the innings. It also brought up the fifty-run partnership between him and Ben Foakes.

Earlier, Ben Duckett fell 16 short of a century to debutant Blair Tickner, having dominated the first session alongside Ollie Pope. The hosts then crawled back into the game, dismissing Pope and Joe Root in consecutive overs. However, Brook’s knock ensured that the runs kept flowing going into the final session.

Brook eventually fell for 89 off the bowling of Neil Wagner.

Watch Brook’s six off Southee here:

Shot!

Sublime from Harry Brook.#NZvENGpic.twitter.com/d62Y4V0Ut0

— Wisden (@WisdenCricket) February 16, 2023