England were 122-3 when Brook came to the crease in the second session of day one, after Zak Crawley and Joe Root launched a recovery effort from two wickets falling in the first three overs of the match. Brook started assuredly as ever, crunching three fours from the first nine balls he faced. The ball after he skipped down the wicket and carved Michael Neser through cover point for four, however, Brook was nearly dismissed.
He attempted a scoop shot, getting down low in the crease but missing the ball. Alex Carey was standing up to the stumps to Neser, in an attempt to stop Brook from leaving his crease. The ball went over the leg stump and Carey took it expertly, and whipped the bails off. There was an appeal for a stumping, which was sent upstairs to the third umpire. Brook was shown to have slid his foot back in in plenty of time.
'England can get back into the Ashes, unless they play ridiculous shots'
However, speaking on TNT Sports commentary, Prior laid into Brook for his shot selection. "I just can't get my head around it," Prior said. "I'm a dinosaur now fine, but this is Test cricket, this is the Ashes. England are 139-3 on day one, you've got to take responsibility. Yes, be positive, this brand of cricket, Bazball – whatever you want to call it. But there is a time when you say, 'Harry Brook, you're the second-best batsman in the world currently, bat for an hour, take the game to the Aussies'.
"It feels like it's just an easy option, and yeah it comes off and everyone says 'what a fantastic shot' or whatever, 'what great intent'. But if you don't, it's just a gift of a wicket. England have got an opportunity here to get themselves back into the Ashes, unless they play ridiculous shots and give their wickets away. Yes, have intent, but play the percentages."
Brook was criticised for his dismissal in the first Test, when he gloved the ball behind to Carey after reaching his half-century, attempting to pull out of a hook shot. His wicket instigated a collapse which saw England lose their last five wickets to 12 runs. Brook was out for a duck in the second innings, driving away from his body and edging a ball from Scott Boland to the slips.
"We know McCullum and Stokes have said they're going to back their players all the way," Prior continued. "But as an individual when you're out there, you've got to make your own decisions and your own choices as to what the right shot is. If Brook was under pressure and that was his get out shot to release some pressure, I get it, okay fine. But right now the keeper is up, he's just played an outstanding shot through the covers, he's got the boundary, all the pressure is on the bowler to do something, unless Brook makes a decision to do something daft and gets out.
"I'm speaking from experience because I made a lot of poor choices when I batted, but I knew that when I walked into the dressing room I'd have Alastair Cook and Andrew Strauss and Andy Flower giving me absolute hell because it was a poor decision. You're playing cricket for England, you have to take responsibility that is part of the job... Sorry, I can't let this go."
Brook was eventually dismissed by Mitchell Starc for 32. He flashed at a wider ball which he edged to Steve Smith in the slips, leaving England 176-4.
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