823/7 and 317: Harry Brook, Joe Root go on record-breaking spree in Multan Test

PAK vs ENG: Joe Root and Harry Brook put England on the brink of victory in the opening Test against Pakistan in Multan. The duo made the Pakistan bowlers sweat on an excellent pitch to bat on and racked up records at will.

In Short

• Harry Brook scored 317 runs in the Multan Test
• Brook and Joe Root put on 454 runs as a pair
• Pakistan trailed by 115 runs in their second innings at Stumps on Day 4

England, Joe Root and Harry Brook had a dream Thursday against Pakistan at the Multan Cricket Stadium. After Day 4, the batting duo have given the Three Lions more than a realistic chance of pulling off a win and a 1-0 lead over their Asian opponents. At Stumps on the fourth day, Pakistan trailed by 115 runs with four wickets left in their second innings.

Pakistan vs England, 1st Test Highlights

After Pakistan scored 556 in their first innings, England went ballistic to make 823 for seven (declared), thereby taking a massive lead of 257 runs. Zak Crawley laid the platform with a 78-run knock after which Root and Brook took charge. Root made 262 runs while Brook stormed his way to scoring 317 runs before Saim Ayub dismissed him.

Thereafter, the English bowlers came to the party and reduced Pakistan to 152 for six in 37 overs. Chris Woakes set the tone by castling Abdullah Shafique for a golden duck. Later, Gus Atkinson and Brydon Carse accounted for two scalps apiece. Jack Leach prized out the wicket of the in-form Saud Shakeel.

Here are the records England made in the Multan Test against Pakistan

4 – England racked up the fourth-highest team total in Test cricket (823/7 declared). Sri Lanka holds the record (952/6 declared) that they made back in 1997 against India in Colombo.

2 – England notched their second-highest team total in Test cricket. Their highest Test score came back in 1938 when they made 903/7 declared against Australia at The Oval.

1 – England made the record for the highest team total in Tests on Pakistani soil. Pakistan held the previous record (765/5 declared) against Sri Lanka in 2009 in Karachi.

4 – The partnership of 454 between Joe Root and Harry Brook is the fourth highest in the history of Test cricket. Mahela Jayawardene and Kumar Sangakkara’s 624-run stand is the highest in Test cricket.

1 – Root and Brook also recorded England’s highest partnership in Test cricket. Colin Cowdrey and Peter May held the record (411) that they made back in 1957 against West Indies in Birmingham.

6 – Harry Brook became the sixth English batter to score a triple hundred in Test cricket. John Edrich (310*), Andy Sandham (325), Graham Gooch (333), Wally Hammond (336*) and Len Hutton (364) are the others.

1 – Harry Brook’s 317 is the fourth-highest individual score against Pakistan in Test cricket. Gary Sobers (365*), David Warner (335*) and Mark Taylor (334) hold the top three spots.

2 – Harry Brook registered the second-highest score by a No.5 batter in Test cricket. Michael Clarke’s 329* is the highest against India back in 2012 at the Sydney Cricket Ground.

2 – Harry Brook recorded the second-fastest triple century in Test cricket off 310 balls. Virender Sehwag hit the fastest off 278 balls against South Africa in Chennai back in 2008.