Harry Brook admitted he had “jam on his toast” by way of good fortune, with the 171 he blazed in the first Test against New Zealand featuring five dropped catches along the way. England’s No 5 was not even sure whether there had been five in his Test career, let alone in a single innings.
But, equally, the manner he utterly bludgeons a cricket ball was a contributing factor when chances came and went on 18, 41, 70 and 106 on day two, then on 147 during the third morning. Just ask Glenn Phillips, who twice put him down in the gully, despite being among the world’s best fielders.
