The Hundred men's competition, Headingley
Sunrisers Leeds 241-2 (100 balls): Rickelton 94* (42), Marsh 76 (37), Brook 55 (18)
London Spirit 204-6 (100 balls): Willey 83* (46); Topley 2-30
Sunrisers Leeds won by 37 runs
Scorecard. Table
Harry Brook shone with a sensational 15-ball fifty as Sunrisers Leeds posted the highest total in Hundred history in their 37-run win against London Spirit.
Having put in to bat at Headingley, opener Ryan Rickelton also struck 94 not out off 42 balls in Sunrisers' astonishing 241-2.
Such was the entertainment provided by Brook and the power shown by Rickelton, Mitchell Marsh's brutal 76 off 37 at the top of the order almost went unnoticed.
On a flat pitch, Marsh and Rickelton added 148 for the first wicket which gave Brook, England's limited-overs captain, the licence to go berserk.
He whacked five sixes and five fours with a combination of power and flair, including a monstrous six over mid-wicket to surpass the previous highest team total of 226.
Brook and Rickelton added 83 off 32 balls for the second wicket as Spirit's bowlers wilted, with the South African stranded short of his century as he was starved of the strike at the close of the innings.
After the carnage inflicted on their bowlers, Spirit made a disastrous start to their reply as Jonny Bairstow fell first ball to Reece Topley, and the rest of the top order also buckled under the pressure as they slipped to 44-4.
But former England all-rounder David Willey performed an admirable rescue act and saved Spirit from humiliation with 83 not out from 46 balls as the visiting side finished on 204-6.
The result takes Sunrisers to fourth in the table and keeps them in play-off contention, but leaves Spirit struggling in seventh.
For Brook to outshine both Marsh and Rickelton, when the pair were so ruthlessly dominating Spirit's bowlers, indicates just how special his knock was.
Marsh kick-started the innings with his trademark ferocious strength, regularly clubbing the ball down the ground, and by the time he had reached a 24-ball half-century, Rickelton had only faced five deliveries himself.
The Australian fell with only 35 balls left in the innings but there was no respite for Spirit, as Rickelton continued to advance to his fifty off 21 balls before Yorkshire's Brook ignited the lively Headingley crowd.
Spirit's bowlers tried everything, but with no reward. When Jamie Overton perfected his wide yorker, Brook simply reached across and audaciously sliced it over deep third for six.
"That was a masterclass on how to strike the white ball," ex-England captain Michael Vaughan said on BBC Two.
"A few of Harry's shots had a bit of finesse towards the end, but it was just brute power. It's not easy for bowlers, the pitch is very flat, but London Spirit weren't on it.
"He is just brilliant. Sometimes we watch some of his innings in Test cricket and we say, 'Come on, Harry, you're better than that.'
"And we don't really give him the credit for the way that he assesses what the bowler is going to bowl to him, and he's got so many options to every delivery. He is a wonderful player."
