Harry Brook and Kyle Jamieson strike in an evenly-matched Test opener at Lord's
Overshadowing Yorkshire’s George Hill, who was busy running up the Headingley hill against Surrey, Harry Brook had a golden arm moment over England team-mate Jamie Smith in his last county appearance at home.
Helping a ton-up Jonny Bairstow have the upper hand in the battle of wicketkeepers, the Keighley-born star cleaned up Smith and was ‘nearly halfway in the stands’
after dismissing the Surrey star for a duck in his double-wicket maiden.
“Smith is a good mate of his, a big feather in his cap, and I am sure they will be discussing that when they meet up with England in a couple of days,” head coach Anthony McGrath had said.
When New Zealand’s Kyle Jamieson was busy dismantling the England top-order with Will O’Rourke and Nathan Smith on day one, Brook was joined by Smith - a Surrey batter with a point to
prove in England’s first Test of the summer at Lord’s.
Smith arrived at the crease after England lost Joe Root for one in the 14th over. Five overs and 21 runs later, Smith perished by leaving the nip-backer from Jamieson in England’s low-scoring first innings total (140) at the Home of Cricket. Smith’s team-mate Brook was a mere spectator at the non-striker’s end. In the 21-run stand between Smith and Brook, the Yorkshire batter scored 20 as Smith only managed to get off the mark in his six-ball no-show.
In a batting essay where the Brendon McCullum-inspired Bazball playbook was seemingly ripped off, Brook carried on with his counter-attacking approach despite England losing wickets at the other end. Taking on New Zealand bowlers with gusto, Brook played a match-altering knock of 56 off 71 balls.
However, Brook was dropped twice on 8 and 45 en route to his 16th Test half-century.
“Credit to him, he was brave, courageous, took the game on. He gave a couple of chances, but so far he&’s probably the difference in the game with the bat. It’s something we will have to take a look at, how we find our own form of bravery,” Jamieson said after capping off a sensational return to Test cricket.
The first Test between England and New Zealand ended Jamieson’s 847-day leave from the longest format. Before the Kiwi quick added his name to the honours board with his sixth wicket- haul, the 31-year-old was busy becoming the ‘best net bowler’ in the Indian Premier League.
“I claimed to the boys at the back end that I was the best net bowler in the IPL, with how many overs I bowled,” Jamieson said.
Taking a leaf out of Brook’s notebook on the second day of the Lord’s Test, Jamieson showcased valour and grit with his entertaining knock against England. Similar to Jamie Smith’s dismissal in the first innings, New Zealand tailender Nathan Smith paid a heavy price for leaving the ball.
Nathan was bowled for 15 by Tongue in the same over where Jamieson capped a nasty blow on the side of the helmet.
Undeterred by England’s short-ball barrage at Lord’s, Jamieson played with fire and belted three sixes and two fours in his 29-ball 38 knock before New Zealand surrendered for 113 in 29.5 overs.
With England only drawing a 27-run lead after Jamieson’s heroics in the 1st innings, maybe Bazball is the answer at Lord’s?