Brook rescues some England pride after top order collapse

HARRY Brook wants England to take a leaf out of his book following a breathtaking century from the Yorkshireman in their four-wicket defeat by New Zealand in Mount Maunganui.

- By DAVID CHARLESWORTH

England were reeling on five for three in the first of three ODIs when Brook strode to the crease in favourable seam bowling conditions and their position worsened as they lurched to 33 for five.

Brook was the only top-seven batter to reach double figures and he rescued them from total ignominy with 135 off 101 balls, accounting for 60.54 per cent of his side’s 223 - a record for England in ODIs.

While his innings augurs well with less than four weeks until the start of the Ashes, Brook’s Test teammates Jamie Smith, Ben Duckett and Joe Root could not get going in their first knocks of the tour.

Brook, though, feels his top-order teammates could have done more to offset opening bowlers Matt Henry and Zak Foulkes, who shared the first six wickets instrumental in teeing up a Black Caps win.

Asked what was racing through his mind when he walked out to bat at the end of the second over, England's white-ball captain responded: “Get myself in and then try and smack it.

“Obviously it wasn’t an ideal start but it was a door-die moment. I always like to try and take the aggressive option and look to put them under as much pressure as possible.

“The question I would ask is can we probably go a little bit harder? I think so. I think we can try and knock them off their lengths a little bit more and capitalise on their slightly off balls”

Henry knocked over Smith first ball before Foulkes, playing in just his second ODI, squared up Duckett and got the edge then castled Root with an inswinger and Jacob Bethell with late away movement.