Emotional Harry Brook is ‘lost for words’ after scoring England’s first triple-century for 34 YEARS against Pakistan – and reveals key change he made after the death of his grandma this year

Harry Brook said he was ‘lost for words’ after scoring England’s first triple-century for 34 years to put his side on the verge of a staggering win in the first Test against Pakistan.

Brook made 317 in a total of 823 for seven, sharing a record stand of 454 with Joe Root, before England’s bowlers reduced the hosts to 152 for six in their second innings – still 115 behind.

The performance left Brook exhausted, but thrilled not just to have put England in command, but to have beaten his dad David’s career-best score for his home village of Burley in Yorkshire’s Airedale & Wharfedale League.

‘I just wanted to get past my dad’s highest score of 210,’ he said. ‘I’ve said that before and I was pretty happy when I did. I’m lost for words. I wanted to cash in as much as I could, knowing the surface was going to be good. I’m just happy team is in a strong position to win.’

Brook admitted his marathon eight-hour innings in the gruelling heat might have been beyond him earlier in the year. But after dropping out of England’s Test tour of India because the death of his grandma, he used the time to sort out his fitness – and reaped the rewards here.

He said working on his fitness after the death of his grandma Pauline set him on the path

‘That two-to-three-month period at the start of year was massive to me,’ he said. ‘I lost a bit of weight, tried to get as fit as possible by eating well, gyming and running. I think if I had not done that I would have got to 150 and slogged one up in the air. It has made a difference, for sure.’

Meanwhile, Root – who made a career-best 262 – said he hoped Brook would one day be the man to break the England runs record which he himself had taken off Alastair Cook on Wednesday.

‘The beauty of records is that you want to create an environment and a team where things are always improving,’ said Root. ‘You want the guys to play with the belief that they can do really special things.

‘To see him go and get another massive score here is awesome, but he’s got such a complete game. 

Brooke has previously dedicated ‘all the runs I’ve scored this year’ to his late grandmother 

Root, who himself hit a double century, lauded Brook’s astonishing record in Pakistan

‘I’m not surprised at all in him doing something special like that, but I don’t think it’ll be the last time we see him with a monster score by his name.’

Brook has now made 785 Test runs in four games in Pakistan at an average of 130, leaving Root to admit: ‘I’m very glad he was born in England and not in Pakistan because his record here is just a joke.’