Brook’s 51-Ball Masterclass Saves England’s Dream
Harry Brook’s explosive 51-ball century powers England into the T20 World Cup semi-finals, redefining Bazball leadership on the biggest stage.
English cricket has seen many types of leaders.
Michael Vaughan was a man-manager, and Sir Andrew Strauss was a strategist who carefully planned England's path to the top.
Sir Alastair Cook and Heather Knight led with determination. Ben Stokes is as inspiring as they come.
It's unlikely that Harry Brook will ever have Strauss's balance or Stokes's aura.
Brook's penance at Pallekele—the best T20 International century by any England batsman, securing victory over Pakistan and a place in the World Cup semi-finals—was the moment he truly became a leader for England.
By now, you should know the story of Brook's winter.
A fight with a nightclub bouncer in Wellington, a poor performance in the Ashes, and a foolish attempt to conceal the truth, for which he later had to explain.
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Few England captains have embarked on a tour with such a heavy baggage.
Thousands of English fans traveled to Australia for the Ashes. Thousands more set alarms at home night after night, day after day.
Brook owed his performance, and he truly repaid them here. This was the most sensible innings after a most unwise winter.
It's strange that Brook, who will receive a T20 World Cup winner's medal in 2022 and a triple century in Test cricket, could perhaps be accused of not playing a match-winning innings on the biggest stage.
His highest score against Australia is 85 in 10 Tests.
Both his centuries against India last year were in Tests England lost—the second in the fifth Test at the Oval, when his careless dismissal paved the way for India to stage a comeback and draw the series 2-2.
Brook's highest score in the last 50-over World Cup was 66, and in the last T20 edition, 53. Now those doubts have been put to rest.
Because, when his team was faltering—Phil Salt was dismissed off the very first ball, and England were soon at 58-4, chasing 165 to win—Brook stood up in a way never seen before.
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Many have questioned Brook's mental strength throughout his England career, and this winter, he has proved unsurprising at times.
Drives in Perth and Brisbane and a reverse sweep in Adelaide, even before considering his off-field troubles.
His "beer smash" celebration when he scored a century against Sri Lanka last month appeared childish.
But those close to Brook and the England dressing room have always spoken of his sharp cricketing mind.
This innings was a perfect example of that.
He used a four-month break in 2022 after the death of his grandmother to lose weight, not because he needed to fill his time or to appear on the next series of Love Island.
He then explained how this would help him score twos in the 2024 T20 World Cup, allowing him to return to strike for boundaries in the subsequent overs.
At Pallekele, Brook's 100 off 51 balls was dangerous, at times very dangerous, but he also scored nine doubles.
This meant he could attack—England scored 11 runs in the second over and 17 runs in both the sixth and 11th overs as Brook continued to advance—but he could also slow down his pace after wickets fell.
When Tom Banton was caught behind off Usman Tariq, Brook calmly took singles off his next five balls.
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It was a perfectly paced innings, showing that his desire to keep batsmen from being "too careful" didn't simply mean hitting boundaries off every ball.
"I knew we were losing wickets, but my job was to still go out there and put them under pressure the whole time," Brook said.
That's the smartness people talk about.
Of course, the credit for Brook's performance goes to another man.
The Ashes defeat had put his coach, Brendon McCullum, in a difficult position. Some would say he's already past the point where he can make a comeback.
But by securing a place in the semi-finals, Brook has brought England closer to a result that will keep the New Zealander in his job, if he so desires.
Brook could still be the Mark Robins to McCullum's Sir Alex Ferguson - it's true that the New Zealander still has a long way to go.
Brook has always been one of baseball's most ardent believers.
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McCullum is Brook's only Test coach, the only permanent coach he has worked under as a white-ball captain. He often speaks directly from McCullum's philosophy handbook.
So, it was no surprise that he credited his coach with the plan to have Brook bat at number three from number five for the first time in his international career.
It was McCullum who brought the idea to his captain on Tuesday morning, less than 12 hours before the start of the game.
Some England players, such as Jacob Bethell, who was promoted to number four by Brook, were told earlier in the day, but others weren't fully aware of the plan until McCullum spoke with them in a pre-match meeting.
"Baz was the mastermind there," Brook said.
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"He discussed with me this morning the idea of moving up the order and making the most of the powerplay."
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McCullum's move means England now have a free hit in their final Super 8 match against New Zealand on Friday. They will then travel to India for the semi-finals.
Somehow, after faltering and struggling up to this point, they are the closest to winning the title. Australia have already gone, and defending champions India could follow them before the week is out.
If the co-hosts persist, either South Africa or the West Indies will surely be eliminated.
Brook is two wins away from becoming the fourth England men's captain to win the World Cup – after Paul Collingwood, Eoin Morgan, and Jos Buttler.
He is leading in his own way, which will create moments that surprise you. However, now is the time to support Brook.
He is not just a captain, tactically sharp on the field and extremely talented with the bat, but also a leader.
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