Brook leads counteroffensive as England reaches lunch at 124-4 against New Zealand in 2nd test

New Zealand held its catches and England slumped to 43-4 Friday on the first morning of the second test before Harry Brook launched a bold counteroffensive.

Brook rushed to a half century from 47 balls with five fours and two sixes and was 51 not out at lunch when England had recovered to 124-4. Ollie Pope was 29 not out and the pair had added 81 for the fifth wicket, including a 50 partnership from only 37 balls.

New Zealand dropped seven catches in the first test at Christchurch which England won by eight wickets, including Brook on five occasions on his way to 171.

The catches stuck on Friday and after winning the toss and bowling, New Zealand dismissed Zac Crawley, Ben Duckett, Joe Root and Jacob Bethell in the first hour on a lively pitch.

Brook broke New Zealand's grip on the match in the second hour with an innings of calculated aggression in which he rushed to 26 from 23 balls with three fours and a six out of the ground.

England captain Ben Stokes said he had intended to bat if he won the toss and his players came out bent on attack from the start. Crawley, who was desperate for runs after making 0 and 1 in the first test, played as if he was in a Twenty20 international. He hit a six from the last ball of the first over bowled by Tim Southee.

It was reckless policy on a greenish pitch on which the ball seamed, especially in the hands of Matt Henry who took two wickets in his first four overs, all of which were maidens.

Crawley (17) was Henry's first victim, beaten and bowled by a scrambled seam delivery angled into his pads which then straightened through the gap between bat and pad.

Duckett (0) was next, playing at a ball angled across him by Henry which nipped further away and was edged to Tom Latham at second slip.

Any lingering concerns about New Zealand's catching were dispelled when Daryl Mitchell held a screamer at first slip to dismiss Root on 3. Nathan Smith, who removed Root for a duck in the first innings of the first test, claimed his wicket again with a wider delivery which Root chased and edged to Mitchell who held a one-handed catch diving to his right.

Smith then removed Bethell (16) with a rare bouncer which the batter tried to pull but only gloved to wicketkeeper Tom Blundell.

Henry bowled superbly in the conditions, finding a perfect length and moving the ball both ways. He had two wickets for 14 runs from seven overs at lunch while Smith had 2-41 off six overs.

Brook was superb again. In similar circumstances to the first innings of the first test in which he came out with England in trouble at 45-3, he arrived at 43-4 and rescued England's innings.