Harry Brook 99, Jasprit Bumrah ‘fate’ dig after brutal end to innings, news, video

Brook OUT on 99: "Can't believe it" | 00:55

Harry Brook fell for 99 on his home ground while the brilliant Jasprit Bumrah took five wickets on Sunday to leave the first Test between England and India at Headingley finely poised.

England were dismissed for 465 on the third day in reply to India’s first-innings 471.

India stretched their lead by stumps to 96 at 90-2 thanks to KL Rahul’s 47 not out, with Shubman Gill fresh from a century in his first innings as India captain, unbeaten on six. But with England having achieved their all-time fourth innings record chase to win a Test of 378 against a Bumrah led India attack at Edgbaston three years ago — when Joe Root, still in the side, made a commanding 142 not out — this match remains up for grabs.

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“The game is in the balance,” Bumrah told BBC Radio. “We have to bat well. The wicket is a little bit two-paced so it will be an interesting game to come.”

Yashasvi Jaiswal, another of India’s three first-innings century-makers at Headingley fell for just four on Sunday when the opener was caught behind off an exceptional Brydon Carse delivery that cut away sharply off the pitch.

New batsman Sai Sudharsan avoided the embarrassment of ‘a pair’ on Test debut, after his first-innings nought, with 30.

But England captain Ben Stokes, who took 4-66 in India’s first innings, ended a partnership of 66 when Sudharsan chipped an inswinger to Zak Crawley, stationed at short midwicket for such a dismissal.

England's Harry Brook reacts after being caught out on 99. Source: AP

Earlier, when Brook was dismissed just one run shy of three figures, England were still 73 behind at 398-7.

But new-ball bowler Chris Woakes, in place of the injured Gus Atkinson, almost got England on level terms with a handy 38 before he was bowled by Bumrah, who knocked over Tongue’s stumps to end the innings as he finished with excellent figures of 5-83 in 24.4 overs.

Brook’s aggression, in an innings in which he had three reprieves, eventually proved his downfall.

One run shy of what would have been a first Test century at Headingley — and ninth in 26 matches — he mishooked a Krishna bouncer to Shardul Thakur at fine leg.

The Yorkshireman threw his head back in agony following the end of a typically dashing 112-ball innings featuring 11 fours and two sixes.

He had been caught off a Bumrah no-ball while still on nought in Saturday’s last over and on Sunday he was dropped on 46 and 82 — with both those chances ones India should have taken.

Pant smashes century and celebration! | 00:26

England resumed on 209-3, 262 runs behind, with Ollie Pope exactly 100 not out after coming in with the hosts in trouble at 4-1.

Pope, having added just six runs off as many balls, edged behind as he tried to cut a wide ball from Krishna.

“It was annoying to not kick on today,” said Pope. As for the state of the game, the England vice-captain added: “That late wicket at the end puts us in an even position.

“We know we have runs to chase, but if we can keep playing as we are, we know we can put together a good score.”

Brook treated Bumrah, widely regarded as the world’s leading bowler, with disdain with a charging drive through the covers for four.

But he should have been out on 46 when he pushed forward to left-arm spinner Ravindra Jadeja only for wicketkeeper Pant to drop the thin nick.

Brook was missed again on 82 when fourth slip Jaiswal grassed a two-handed catch off a deliberate steer off Bumrah.

At that stage, England were still more than a hundred runs behind. And when Brook went into the 90s with a superb lofted drive for six off Siraj it looked as if he would make India pay dearly for shoddy fielding.

But Bumrah mopped up the tail to leave the first of this five-Test series on a knife edge.

Harry Brook bats during his innings of 99. Source: Getty Images

‘FATE’: BUMRAH WEIGHS IN ON BROOK

India fast bowler Jasprit Bumrah suggested “fate” had played a part in England batsman Harry Brook’s dismissal for 99.

The dynamic Brook slammed Prasidh Krishna for six in the first over of Sunday’s play and advanced down the pitch to drive Bumrah, the world’s top-ranked Test bowler, through the covers for a sensational four.

But on the verge of his ninth century in 26 Tests, but only second on home soil, the 26-year-old pulled Krishna to Shardul Thakur in the deep.

Well though Brook batted, he also had several lucky breaks.

He had yet to get off the mark when he was caught off a miscued hook against Bumrah in the last over of Saturday’s play, only for technology to reveal the India spearhead had bowled a no-ball that spared the England rising star from being out for a duck.

On Sunday, Brook was dropped on 46 and 82, wicketkeeper Rishabh Pant failing to hold a thin edge off left-arm spinner Ravindra Jadeja before Bumrah was the unlucky bowler when Yashasvi Jaiswal floored a two-handed chance at fourth slip.

Brook’s innings helped England to a total of 465, just six behind on first innings, with Bumrah easily India’s best bowler while taking 5-83 in 24.4 overs.

India ended the third day 96 runs ahead on 90-2 to leave the first Test of this five-match series still very much in the balance.

“I think fate had decided on 99 for him, because he got dropped a few times after (the no-ball) as well,” Bumrah told reporters after stumps.

“But that is not to take away from him. He assessed the conditions well, he fancies his game and plays an aggressive style of cricket. He makes you think he can play an aggressive shot but he can shut up shop as well.

“Full credit, he played really well and we’ll try to have better plans in the next innings,” added the 31-year-old.

Jasprit Bumrah reacts after Yashasvi Jaiswal drops Harry Brook. Source: Getty Images

Ollie Pope, out for 106 early on Sunday after resuming on exactly 100 not out, said Brook was disappointed in becoming the 14th England batsman to be dismissed for 99 in a Test.

“He was pretty gutted to get out,” said England vice-captain Pope. “I think he’d either like to keep it down or hit it for six next time. He was as frustrated as anyone to get out but he plays that shot pretty well.

“It was an unbelievable knock. Even the pull shot he hit in the first over of the day, I was like ‘where did that come from?’

“Everyone knows what a fantastic player Harry is and to be able to put a guy like Jasprit Bumrah off his pace a little bit with a shot like that early on shows the confidence he has in his game.”

Bumrah took five wickets in a Test innings for the 14th time in just 46 Tests but his figures would have been even better but for three dropped catches off his bowling.

Unlike a number of other celebrated fast bowlers down the years, there were no displays of anger from Bumrah when the chances were missed.

“Nobody is dropping the catches purposely, everybody’s trying really hard,” said Bumrah, who added: “I don’t want to create a scene or put more pressure on the fielder that, you know, (he sees) I’m angry...It’s part and parcel of the game.”

Harry Brook plays a sweep to the boundary, riding his luck during a tumultuous 99. Source: AFP

Brook joined an unwanted club — it was the 16th instance of an England batsman being dismissed one run shy of a century in the 148-year history of Test cricket and the first since Jonny Bairstow, a Yorkshire teammate of Brook, suffered the same fate against South Africa at Old Trafford eight years ago.

Brook, however, was only the 14th player in that list, with former England captains MJK Smith and Michael Atherton both twice out for 99 in Tests.

England batsmen out for 99 in Test cricket (player, opposition, venue, year):

Herbert Sutcliffe v South Africa, Cape Town, 1928

Eddie Payner v Australia, Lord’s, 1938

Norman Yardley v South Africa, Trent Bridge, 1947

MJK Smith v South Africa, Lord’s, 1960

MJK Smith v Pakistan, Lahore, 1961

Ted Dexter v Australia, Brisbane, 1962

Dennis Amiss v Pakistan, Karachi, 1973

Geoffrey Boycott v West Indies, Port-of-Spain, 1974

Graham Gooch v Australia, Melbourne, 1980

Martyn Moxon v New Zealand, Auckland, 1988

Michael Atherton v Australia, Lord’s, 1993

Michael Atherton v South Africa, Headingley, 1994

Marcus Trescothick v India, Ahmedabad, 2001

Kevin Pietersen v Bangladesh, Chattogram, 2010

Jonny Bairstow v South Africa, Old Trafford, 2017

Harry Brook v India, Headingley, 2025

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