Harry Brook: England batter hits century as Yorkshire draw with Leicestershire in County Championship

Harry Brook reached his fifty at Headingley off just 35 balls and needed another 33 balls to get to his century

England's Harry Brook hit a stunning final-day 100 not out as Yorkshire and Leicestershire had to settle for an opening-round County Championship draw at Headingley.

Coach Ottis Gibson also confirmed that former England captain Joe Root will join Brook in Yorkshire's line-up on Friday against Gloucestershire at Bristol.

Brook arrived at the crease four balls into day four of this weather-ravaged Division Two fixture, after overnight rain and a wet outfield once again delayed the start of play.

Yorkshire had started on 72-2 in their reply to Leicestershire's 354. But George Hill fell caught off a miscue in the day's opening over, paving the way for Brook to come in and entertain the hardy 178 spectators who had waited patiently for play.

Brook, 25, had not batted in a competitive fixture since playing for England in December. The death of his grandmother led to him pulling out of the Test series in India at the start of the year and opting not to play in the ongoing IPL.

However, in the first of five Championship matches he has made himself available for, he smashed 14 fours and two sixes in 69 balls, with Yorkshire declaring immediately on 264-6 just before tea in order to improve a slow-over rate from the first innings.

• County Championship: day four as it happened

They did this successfully as spinners Dan Moriarty and Adam Lyth raced through 7.2 overs before the rain arrived at 4pm with Leicestershire on 26-0 in their second innings.

Yorkshire coach Ottis Gibson:

"Harry Brook makes it look so easy. Having him in our batting line-up makes a huge difference.

"Quite often, we're asking our youngsters who their role-models are. Importantly, we have a role-model in our dressing room. That's a real positive. We are the benefactors of that, and we are very grateful to have him. We'll enjoy watching him bat for the next four games if he carries on batting the way he is.

"Adam Lyth had a fantastic winter at the ripe old age of 36, so it was good to see him get a hundred and also be the standard bearer for the youngsters."

Leicestershire captain Lewis Hill:

"There's a lot of talk about Yorkshire being promotion favourites, so to come here and get 13 points is a good return.

"They've got some high-quality batters, especially Harry Brook. He struck it very well.

"Everybody got in for us, which is fantastic. On the flipside of that, when you get in you've got to go on."

Report supplied by ECB Reporters' Network.