MULTAN, Pakistan (AP) — England is on the verge of a famous cricket victory after Harry Brook smashed the second-fastest triple century in test history, Joe Root scored a career-best 262 and the tourists declared their first innings at an enormous 823-7 against Pakistan in the first test on Thursday.
Pakistan, which scored 556 in its first innings, collapsed second time round to reach stumps on Day 4 at 152-6, needing another 115 runs to avoid an innings defeat.
It was the fourth time a test team scored more than 800 runs — and the first time this century — as Yorkshire pair Brook and Root showed plenty of resilience and stamina to rewrite the record books in the heat of Multan.
“It was an unreal wicket to bat on and I’ll probably roll it (the wicket) open and take it with me,” Brook said after his marathon seven-hour innings of 317 runs off 322 balls that featured 29 fours and three sixes.
Brook raised his triple hundred off 310 balls, which was the second-fastest in test history after Virender Sehwag of India achieved the feat in 268 balls against South Africa in 2008.
“Me and Rooty both were just trying to cash in on what was a good pitch,” Brook said. “We were both struggling with the heat for a while, (but) it makes you feel so comfortable when you watch him at the other end, he makes the game look so easy.”
Brook was one of England’s key batters during its 3-0 sweep in Pakistan two years ago when he scored centuries at Rawalpindi, Multan and Karachi.
Brook shared England’s highest-ever partnership of 454 runs with Root for the fourth wicket, taking the team from 249-3 to 703-4 in a marathon stand.
Root was the first of the pair to be out — leg before wicket on the back foot to Salman Agha — and Brook top-edged a sweep and was caught at fine leg to give Saim Ayub one of his two wickets.
Brook became England’s sixth test triple century-maker and first since Graham Gooch’s 333 against India in 1990 as Pakistan’s bowlers toiled for 150 overs before Ollie Pope declared the innings half an hour before tea.
Pakistan then crumbled with its top-order stumbling against the pace of Gus Atkinson (2-28) and Brydon Carse (2-39) after Chris Woakes had uprooted the off stump of Abdullah Shafique on the first ball of the innings.
England could have pressed for victory inside four days, but Shoaib Bashir dropped an easy chance from Aamer Jamal at deep backward square leg off Carse’s short delivery. One of Pakistan’s three first innings centurions, Agha was fighting a grim battle, unbeaten on 41, with Jamal not out on 27.
It was a tough day for the hosts after Brook and Root had destroyed the home team bowling with six bowlers conceding over 100 runs for only the second time in test history on a flat wicket. Leg-spinner Abrar Ahmed was hospitalized for fever and didn’t play on Day 4 but he had already cost 0-174.
Ayub (2-101), Naseem Shah (2-157), Agha (1-118), Jamal (1-126), and Shaheen Shah Afridi (1-120) were ruthlessly treated.
Root continued his sublime form and raised his career-best score a day after surpassing Alastair Cook’s record of most runs for England in test matches.
Both batters scored freely as they toyed with pace and spin with ease on a benign wicket.
“We got bashed up a little bit today, there’s no doubt about that,” said Pakistan assistant coach Tim Nielsen.
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