Jonny Bairstow hopes to enjoy plenty more great partnerships with Harry Brook after the Yorkshire pair set England up for a convincing T20 victory over New Zealand on Friday.
Bairstow and Brook shared in a ferocious third-wicket stand of 131 from just 65 balls to lay the platform for an emphatic 95-run win in the second Vitality international at Old Trafford.
Bairstow batted throughout the innings for an unbeaten 86 from 60 balls while Brook, making a further point after his recent World Cup snub, smashed five sixes in a 36-ball 67.
“We tried to bide our time a little bit because it was quite tricky to start on,” said Bairstow.
“He hit a couple of magnificent shots over extra cover, and then that kind of kickstarts momentum.
“We had a bit of a chuckle the other day because we haven’t actually batted that much together, to be honest, and we were (saying), ‘come on’ we’re due a decent partnership at some point. I hope that’s the first of a few over the next few years.”
Their stand provided the backbone of England’s imposing 198 for four.
The Kiwis were never in the contest as they slumped to 103 all out in reply with impressive England debutant Gus Atkinson taking four for 20.
Bairstow said: “It was a great win. Any time that you bowl a team out in a T20, I think that’s some feat. Hats off to the bowlers for executing the skills as well as they did.
“But that wasn’t by any means the perfect game. We’ll go to Edgbaston looking to go better than that as well because naturally there’s some areas that we can improve on.”
England will head to Birmingham for the third encounter in the four-match series on Sunday leading 2-0.
Atkinson’s impressive display came after fellow seamer Brydon Carse shone on his debut in the series opener in Durham on Wednesday.
Bairstow is impressed with the attacking options available.
He said: “The guys that have come into series, Brydon and Gus, making the impact that they have, being so clear on how they want to go about it, I think is a testament to them.
“I think they’re going to play over a period of time for England, there’s no reason why not. Look at the skills that they’ve got.
“If you’ve got two guys that release the ball as high as they do and with as much pace as they have, I think it’s a good weapon.”
New Zealand seamer Adam Milne admitted the game ran away from the tourists during the Bairstow-Brook partnership.
He said: “I thought they were better really. Obviously they had a great partnership, very destructive for the small boundary there.
“They batted really well and it was tough to bowl to them when they’re in that sort of mode. Their line-up is full of quality players and explosive powerful players.”
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