England bowlers strike after Brook century

WELLINGTON: On the opening day of the second Test between England and New Zealand in Wellington, Harry Brook dazzled with a second consecutive century, scoring 123 off 115 balls.

His brilliant knock, along with Ollie Pope's fluent 66, helped England recover from a dire position of 43 for 4 to post a competitive total of 280.

The pair shared a 174-run stand, showcasing aggressive strokeplay despite the challenging conditions on a bowler-friendly pitch.

Brook's innings was particularly impressive, full of attacking strokes, including 11 fours and five sixes, though he was dismissed just before tea, run out after a miscommunication with Pope.

Pope continued his good form from Christchurch but fell to Will O'Rourke after top-edging a pull shot. Ben Stokes, following Pope, also departed cheaply, leaving England's tail exposed.

New Zealand's response got off to a shaky start, losing five wickets for 86 runs by the close of play. Brydon Carse and Gus Atkinson provided early breakthroughs, with Carse also taking the key wicket of Kane Williamson, who was dismissed after a controversial no-ball call.

Carse and Ben Stokes later removed Daryl Mitchell, leaving New Zealand in a precarious position, still trailing by 194 runs.

The day was marked by New Zealand's solid fielding effort, including some excellent catches after a disappointing display in the previous Test. England's aggressive approach, led by Brook's century and the bowlers' precision, had ensured the game remained exciting and evenly poised heading into the second day.

Brief scores: New Zealand 86 for 5 (Carse 2-28) trail England 280 (Brook 123, Pope 66, Smith 4-86, O'Rourke 3-49) by 194 runs