Harry Brook scores a 69-ball century for Yorkshire, including 14 fours and two sixes, in first innings since England's T20 series in West Indies in December; batter withdrew from Test tour of India this winter for personal reasons and then skipped IPL following death of grandmother
Thursday 16 May 2024 16:48, UK
Harry Brook smashed a 69-ball hundred for Yorkshire in the County Championship in his first competitive innings since withdrawing from England's winter tour of India for personal reasons.
Brook, who also opted to pull out of his IPL stint with Delhi Capitals following the death of his grandmother, struck 14 fours and two sixes against Leicestershire on Monday in his first outing since England's T20 series in the West Indies in December.
The 25-year-old, batting at No 5, secured his 12th first-class century prior to Yorkshire immediately declaring their first innings on 246-6 on the final day at Headingley, before rain saw the game end in a draw.
Brook is likely to play a key role in the England middle order this summer, in the Test matches against West Indies and Sri Lanka from July onwards and also at the T20 World Cup in June.
The right-hander has scored over 2,000 international runs in 56 matches across the formats, including 1,181 in 12 Tests, hitting seven hundreds and four fifties in the longest form of the game.
Brook - who will be available for Yorkshire's first five County Championship matches - averages 61.15 for England in Test cricket, with a strike-rate of 91.76.
Yorkshire head coach Ottis Gibson said of Brook: "A lot of the communication was from him. We've put no pressure on him to play. He has been having lots of nets. At a time like this, he's been wanting to be around people he's comfortable with.
"One of the conversations that we've had is that he just wants to play cricket with his mates again. He's got a lot of mates in the dressing room, they've played a lot of cricket together and grown up through the age-groups.
"This is his comfort in a difficult time. We are the benefactors of that, and we are very grateful to have him. I think we'll enjoy watching him bat for the next four games if he carries on batting the way he is."
Gibson also confirmed that Joe Root will play for Yorkshire against Gloucestershire in Bristol from Friday.
Brook and Root will not be joined in England's Test team this year by Jofra Archer, with managing director of men's cricket Rob Key saying the fast bowler will not be considered for that format until 2025 after a series of injuries.
However, Key revealed Archer could "absolutely" play in the T20 World Cup in the Caribbean and the USA, adding: "Jofra has been out with Sussex in India for pre-season and bowled quickly out there, bowled really well.
"He has now gone back to the Caribbean where he's going to play a bit of club cricket, all looking to get himself ready for the T20 World Cup.
"He'll hopefully play in the [T20] series against Pakistan [in May], but it's always fingers-crossed at the moment with Jofra."
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