It’s no secret England are utilizing this tour, together with the stop-start rain-affected T20s that preceded these ODIs, to construct in direction of the Ashes.

Whereas others are but to search out type, the query for Brook, who scored 78 within the second T20 final week, is whether or not he can preserve his via the swap in situations and codecs. On the proof to date, the reply is a convincing sure.

Batting was perilously tough when he got here in.

Brook was hit on the physique thrice as he failed to attain from his first six deliveries. He superior to his seventh to drive Matt Henry via the covers and it confirmed him the best way.

The 26-year-old reached 50 in 36 deliveries earlier than settling right into a stand of 87 with Jamie Overton. When Overton fell to a vanguard for 46, Carse and Adil Rashid shortly adopted and Brook reduce unfastened whereas farming the strike to guard Wooden.

He hit three consecutive sixes off Jacob Duffy to succeed in his hundred and struck one other three in a single over from Henry – focusing on the leg facet and dispatching something brief by both flicking it over fantastic leg or cracking it over mid-wicket.

The low-key nature of this collection and the very fact it got here in a disappointing defeat shouldn’t forestall this knock from being rated among the many greatest for England in ODIs.

He scored 60.5% of England’s runs – placing him twelfth on the all-time listing for that statistic in ODIs. It was additionally Brook’s highest rating within the format.