Impressed with the consistent batting performance of England’s middle-order player, Harry Brook, former England captain Nasser Hussain has made a strong comparison, suggesting he is similar to another famous English cricketer, Kevin Pietersen.
Hussain, who writes for The Daily Mail, complimented Brook for appearing relaxed and at ease, even when the conditions are challenging or the circumstances are not in his favor.
To provide some background, England was behind by 169 runs and had already lost three wickets when Brook joined Joe Root at the batting crease. What appeared to be a potential batting failure turned into a brilliant demonstration by two top-notch players showing how to ease the pressure and turn the tide in their favor.
Root was out after scoring 42 runs, but then Brook formed a 50-run partnership with the wicketkeeper batter Jamie Smith, regaining control of the game.
This is where the former England captain sees similarities with batting legends. The skill to play their shots regardless of the situation.
“It’s not about trying to imitate Kevin Pietersen or Viv Richards, but Harry Brook has a real presence at the crease,” Hussain wrote.
He is really skilled and has some qualities similar to Pietersen, especially with his long reach. But without Ben Stokes, Brook’s role in the middle part of the batting lineup is even more important for England,” he said.
In the middle-order batting, you might find yourself in a situation where the top-order batters haven’t scored many runs. This puts the responsibility on the middle-order batters to take charge and help win the game for their team.
Nasser said, “The way the players hit the ball there is very important because they need players who can fight back and show a positive attitude, but also stay relaxed and focused.”
Thinking about the game in Manchester the day before, Nasser believes that the playing conditions might not be as straightforward as they seem. But that’s where their great skill comes in, making difficult conditions look simple to handle.
“This pitch at Old Trafford is one where most batters haven’t felt totally at ease, and that’s where both Brook and Jamie Smith have stood out by making it look so easy,” he mentioned.
Although Brook was upset about getting out after scoring 50 runs, Jamie Smith continued to score his first century in a Test match and gave his team a big enough lead to regain control of the game.
