ENGLAND declared their first innings at a mammoth 823-7 before tea on the fourth day of the opening test against Pakistan on Thursday (10) for a lead of 267 runs.
Harry Brook notched up a superb 317 and Joe Root hit 262 as both batsmen made their highest test scores on the flat wicket at the Multan Cricket Stadium.
Brook hit his maiden triple century on the fourth day of the opening Test. The 25-year-old clubbed a four off spinner Saim Ayub to become the sixth Englishman to score 300 or more in Test cricket, achieving the feat off 310 balls, with 28 fours and three sixes.
Andy Sandham of England was the first-ever batter to knock a triple hundred in Test cricket, scoring 325 against the West Indies at Kingston in 1930.
Other England batters to score a triple century were Len Hutton (364), Wally Hammond (336 not out), Graham Gooch (333 not out) and John Edrich (310 not out).
Brook celebrates his double century with Joe Root REUTERS/Akhtar SoomroBrook has made rapid strides at the international level since making his debut in 2022. He posted three centuries against Pakistan in only his second series which England won by 3-0 margin.
Brook's senior partner Joe Root was unlucky not to reach a maiden triple century as he was trapped leg-before by spinner Agha Salman for 262 soon after lunch.
Root, who eclipsed Alastair Cook as England's top test run-scorer, picked up from where he left off on Wednesday (9) and became the first batsman from his country to make 20,000 international runs in the morning session with a driven boundary.
The former captain was handed a reprieve on 186 when Babar Azam dropped the simplest of catches at mid-wicket, and he made the most of it to reach his sixth double century with a single before celebrating by kissing the badge on his helmet.
In reaching the milestone, Root went past Cook again with only Wally Hammond ahead of him in England's list with seven double tons.
Brook then became the latest member of the club to delight the travelling English fans, who stayed on their feet to cheer when Root eased to his 250 with a scooped boundary in the same over bowled by Naseem Shah.
Television replays showed the ball had struck Root's pads but the 33-year-old did not complain and went on to better his previous best of 254.
(Agencies)
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