Don’t take Brook’s WWE beer celebration wrong way – Root

Joe Root hopes Harry Brook’s ‘beer smash’ celebration will be “received the right way”.

The England captain celebrated his match-winning century against Sri Lanka by imitating a famous WWE wrestler.

Brook was recently involved in a late-night drinking scandal where he was struck by a bouncer the night before captaining a match in New Zealand.

The 27-year-old was almost sacked as captain as a result, but was ultimately given a final warning for his off-field behaviour and fined the maximum amount of £30,000.

When Brook reached three figures in Colombo following an astonishing, series-winning century that took him just 57 balls, he celebrated by taking off his batting gloves, striking them together and then tipping them towards his mouth.

The move was first performed by former WWE wrestler ‘Stone Cold’ Steve Austin, who would have two beers thrown to him on stage, before hitting them together and drinking them in the ring.

Brook confirmed after the match that the celebration was a tribute to Austin, and also an acknowledgement of his attempts to win back the trust of his teammates.

“It was just more about celebrating tonight with the boys,” Brook explained.

“Like I said the other day in my press conference, I’ve got to try and gain that trust back with the lads and the way I wanted to do that was perform, play well and lead from the front.”

Root, who was batting with Brook at the time, said he hoped Brook’s celebration would be received with the humour it was intended.

“I think that’s his way of doing that really,” Root said. “He’s trying to show he wants that approval from the group, through humour.

“That’s another area of why he’s going to be a great leader, because he has that side to him as well.

“He’s showed his calmness and his clarity under pressure, and he’s also showed humour as well in doing that.

It is not the first time an England international has referenced an alcohol-related disciplinary issue in a celebration, with Paul Gascoigne famously performing the ‘dentist’s chair’ following his iconic goal against Scotland in Euro 1996.

“I think he’s been excellent in every aspect,” Root said of his captain. “He’s grown throughout the three games and he didn’t panic tonight when they got off to an absolute flyer.

“It’s easy to do when you’re on top but when a team throws a few punches back at you, to stay calm and manage it like he did was another example of why I think he’s going to be an excellent captain in white-ball cricket.