Harry Brook was on absolute fire on Tuesday, as everything he touched, seemed to turn to gold. In the first innings, he played one of the best innings ever seen in the tournament and then went on to showcase a fielding masterclass in the second innings to dismiss the dangerous look of Jonny Bairstow.
Northern Superchargers won the coin toss and chose to set a total against Welsh Fire on Tuesday. But the move did not work, as none of the batsmen except Harry Brook and Adam Hose crossed double digits. After being dropped from England’s preliminary World Cup squad, Brook scored a fabulous century in just 41 balls. He scored 105(42), while the second-highest scorer on the side was Adam Hose with 15(12). Despite the hundred, the Superchargers put up a below-par total of 158.
In the second innings, Harry Brook was fielding on the leg side boundary, when Jonny Bairstow hit a ball towards him. The ball clearly looked as if it would clear the boundary and go for a six, but Brook swooped in the middle and caught the ball. But he was too close to the boundary and was about to fall on the other side when he threw the ball in the air. While the ball was in the air, he tried regaining his balance. He stumbled, caught the ball again, lost his balance again, and threw it in the air again. This time he was lucky as he had Adam Hose for support. Hose took the relay catch easily and ended Bairstow’s fighting knock of 44(39).
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Although it did not do much for the result of the match, Brook’s reflexes and presence of mind were commendable. In the end, Welsh Fire won the game comfortably with 8 wickets and 10 balls to spare. But Brook’s insane hitting as well as fielding must have sent a message to the selectors of the England national team.