Roundup: Brook rides luck on way to Yorkshire ton
As Joe Root hung up his cap as England captain for the last time, another young Yorkshireman pressed his case for Test selection. Harry Brook hit his fifth century for Yorkshire in his first match of the season on an idyllically sunny April day at the Nevil Ground, with dogs lolling on the grass and a young boy tooting about on a blue scooter.
It was an innings full of smart shots but, having survived a run-out chance on 18, he hit the nervous 99s, was dropped at second slip and then perplexed in various ways, before finally running a single to backward point and pulling off his helmet in celebration. He was bowled shortly afterwards by Josh Shaw, playing on for 101. The 91-run partnership between Harrys Duke and Brook whipped the game away from Gloucestershire.
Craig Overton’s best first-class figures of seven for 57 sliced through Essex, to give Somerset a chance of survival. Somerset’s top order then disintegrated with familiar ease, Shane Snater taking six for 36, though runs from Renshaw and Davies at least gave Essex a target of 84.
Brother Jamie Overton made similar mincemeat of Hampshire’s middle order at The Oval after Surrey were dismissed for 467, Keith Barker taking four for 80. At Canterbury, Zak Crawley reached 50 for Kent before Matt Parkinson, England’s perennial drinks carrier, took three quick wickets. Lancashire earlier thundered to a mammoth 506 all out.
In Division Two, Sussex buckled under the weight of Derbyshire’s 505 for eight declared, Shan Masood finally dismissed for 239; while another stonewalling half century from Hassan Azad built Leicestershire resistance after Durham reached the heights of 428.
It was even stevens at Trent Bridge, where Sam Northeast and David Lloyd made runs for Glamorgan and Marnus Labuschagne did not against Nottinghamshire.
Gordon Mills writes from Jamaica: “Interesting that Pujara was out cheaply. I was at Cheltenham in 1972 and caught Zaheer Abbas’s debut for Gloucestershire against Lancashire. He was out for 0 and received many harsh words from the shire faithful. But he went on to do quite well for his adopted county. Nice to see free entry to The Oval after tea … that sort of initiative will bring in the kids and young people.”
