Albeit too late for the series, much of this innings was the Brook England fans have asked for.<\/p>\n
Coming in at 57-3, he eased to 20 from his first 30 balls with little alarm. <\/p>\n
After an inside edge second ball narrowly missed his stumps, he dropped his next delivery into the off side and rotated the strike. <\/p>\n
Across his 92 balls he defended or left 53% of deliveries on the classic ‘good length’ – a decent jump compared with the first four Tests of the series.<\/p>\n
Brook appeared to be learning.<\/p>\n
But things are rarely straightforward with England’s vice-captain.<\/p>\n
At Melbourne he went beyond 3,000 Test runs in his 57th innings, a number only Herbert Sutcliffe can better for England, yet he still causes so much frustration.<\/p>\n
He has reached 15 in seven of his eight previous innings of the tour without passing 51 – falling on at least two occasions to shots he himself described as “shocking”.<\/p>\n
Here, having said in Adelaide he wanted to learn when best to apply the pressure, Brook reached the close unbeaten but so very nearly fell to another rush of blood.<\/p>\n
Have you learned, Harry? Really?<\/p>\n
Brook had 38 from 48 balls to his name when Australia turned to the most obvious of plans.<\/p>\n
Captain Steve Smith and bowler Mitchell Starc stood together, five fielders were pushed into the shadows of the Sydney Cricket Ground’s famous stands and the ball was bowled short.<\/p>\n
Australia knew what would happen next, England’s fans too. Brook can never resist.<\/p>\n