Sports
‘Brook has done a winter’s work Santa would be proud of’
Harry Brook was on his way to speak to the media, but encountered a problem. He was locked out.
How New Zealand must wish it was that simple to keep Brook quiet in the middle.
England’s number five had played what is likely to be a match-defining innings in the second Test, a week after he played one in the first. Brook’s 123 on the opening day in Wellington, following his 171 in Christchurch, has the tourists in reach of a series win.
He is putting together a winter’s work Father Christmas would be proud of. The twin hundreds in New Zealand are on the heels of a triple-century in Pakistan. The Yorkshireman’s away record is bettered only by the great Sir Donald Bradman. He is the best traveller to leave England since holiday-show Wish You Were Here host Judith Chalmers.
Given the match situation and the conditions, this was Brook’s best knock of his 2024 tour trio. The man himself went one stage further and said it is his favourite of his eight Test hundreds.
Either side of Brook’s outlier partnership worth 174 with Ollie Pope, whose 66 provided invaluable support, England lost their first four wickets for 43 runs and their last four for 21. England made 233 of their 280 runs while Brook was at the crease. In all, 15 wickets fell across the day. Brook was 123-1, the rest 243-14.
This was breathless stuff at the Basin Reserve, picking up from the Wonder of Wellington, the last time these two sides met on this ground. On that occasion, New Zealand won by one run.
Brook made a hundred then, too. He also took his one and only Test wicket. In the second innings, he was run out without facing a ball. Given the margin of defeat, it probably cost England the match. It also dented, realistically ended, his shot at the holy grail of Test batting records – the fastest man to 1,000 runs.
Still, staggering numbers followed. In Christchurch he reached 2,000 Test runs in his 36th innings. Only Herbert Sutcliffe, almost 100 years ago, got there faster for England.
This century in Wellington, from 91 balls, was Brook’s second Test ton at better than a run a ball. Lord Botham is the other Englishman to make two centuries striking at faster than 100.
Brook’s eighth Test hundred came in his 38th innings, so he is averaging a century at better than one every five knocks. Only Denis Compton got to eight three-figure scores in fewer innings for England.
The 2,225 runs Brook has made in his first 23 Tests is more than any other England player at this stage of a career. There are 118 runs between Brook and second-placed Wally Hammond, and Brook still has one more innings in his 23rd Test.
After Brook’s 317 in Pakistan, James Anderson, who knows a thing or two about being the best of all time, raised eyebrows by saying Brook could end up as England’s greatest batter.
At the start of the Wellington Test, Brook was ranked as the second-best batter currently playing Tests, behind England’s GOAT Joe Root. Root may soon not be rated as the best batter in Yorkshire.
Kevin Pietersen was the other player Anderson mentioned alongside Brook, and their styles are similar. Such is Brook’s superior record, KP has started wearing Harry Brook pyjamas.
The Cleveland Cavaliers’ 12-game winning streak came to an end on Sunday night with a 108-93 loss to the Indiana Pacers.
The Cavaliers have risen to top of the eastern conference thanks to a recent run including wins against rivals Los Angeles Lakers and Milwaukee Bucks.
But Andrew Nembhard, who top scored with 19 points, and Pascal Siakam, who hit 18 points, combined to help the Pacers to victory.
It was the Cavaliers’ first defeat since 8 December and just their fifth from 38 matches this season.
“There was nothing to lose, this is the best team in the league right now,” said Nembhard.
“We had to play hard, play together, and put some more physicality in the game on the defensive side of the ball, and play off of that.”
The Cavaliers, who are 40.3% from three pointers this season, made just 11 (26.8%) of 41 against the Pacers.
Reflecting on the loss, Cleveland coach Kenny Atkinson said: “What disappointed me was our first half was phenomenal, defensively, and then the second half, we fell off. We couldn’t sustain our defence.”
Stefanos Tsitsipas believes his Australian Open first-round exit was “karma” after he withdrew from playing doubles alongside his brother to focus on singles.
The Greek, runner-up in Melbourne in 2023, lost 7-5 6-3 2-6 6-4 to American Alex Michelsen on the second day’s play.
The 11th seed had been due to play doubles with his brother, Petros, but withdrew before the tournament began to protect his singles chances.
“It’s quite ironic. My whole [idea] was to try to go deep. I knew the first thing I had to consider was not playing doubles,” Tsitsipas, 26, said.
“The whole purpose was just to save up on some energy and be fresher hopefully in the deeper draw of the tournament.
“I guess karma hit me. I was not able to deliver or play the way I was hoping to at this year’s event.”
Tsitsipas has long been tipped as a future Grand Slam champion, having reached the Melbourne showpiece two years ago and the French Open final in 2021, losing both to Novak Djokovic.
However, he lost in the first round at last year’s US Open and in the second round at Wimbledon.
“The most frustrating part about losing in the first round of a Grand Slam is that you have way too much time to recover,” Tsitsipas added.
“It just sucks that I’ll be hanging around for quite a while now before my next tournament comes in.”
Nottingham Forest “deserve” to be treated as title contenders before Liverpool’s trip to the City Ground, says Arne Slot.
Nuno Espirito Santo’s side are the only team to have beaten Liverpool in the Premier League this season following their 1-0 win at Anfield in September.
Table-topping Liverpool travel to the City Ground on Tuesday (20:00 GMT) for the reverse fixture with Forest in third place, six points behind.
After surviving relegation last season, Forest have lost just four times in 20 league matches this season.
“I’ve always said you can judge the table best halfway through the season,” said Liverpool boss Slot.
“That moment is there now, so if Forest is then up there with us, with Arsenal, Chelsea and [Manchester] City and all the others, then they definitely are a team that is in competition with us and with the other teams.
“They deserve to be treated like this if you look at the way they play and if you look at their results.”
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