Harry Brook eclipses England greats - as well as dad

Harry Brook has eclipsed some of English cricket's most prestigious names with his majestic triple century against Pakistan, but admitted his father's family record was the one he really wanted.

Brook smashed a sensational 317 on day four of the first Test in Multan on Thursday, powering the tourists to the fourth-highest total in history - an outlandish 7-823 declared.

The touring attack then set themselves up for a final victory push by reducing Pakistan to 6-152 by stumps, still 115 behind.

Until Brook, no Englishman had made a treble since Graham Gooch's 333 against India in 1990 and, in doing so, the Yorkshireman bettered the best days of a host of illustrious names from the past and present, including John Edrich (310), Alastair Cook (294), Denis Compton (278) and Ben Stokes (258).

Even his mentor turned teammate Joe Root has never reached 300, despite making a record 35 hundreds and doubling up for the sixth time on Thursday with a career-best 262.

But the number Brook was keenest to cross off was 210, the score his father David Brook made for Burley Cricket Club against Woodhouse in a league game all the way back in 2001.

"I knew about Gooch but I didn't know about the other ones. I just wanted to get past my dad's highest score!" he said with a satisfied smile.

"I've said that before and I was pretty happy when I got past his score to be honest. It's not quite sunk in, really.

"I'm still absolutely knackered. I'm sure I will sleep well tonight and reflect on it later.

"I've never heard of a total like that before; me and Rooty just tried to cash in on what was a good pitch. It was a tiring day... I'm lost for words."

Root, who put on an unprecedented 454 alongside Brook, suggested his new mark as England's top run-scorer might one day go to his fellow Yorkshireman.

"Harry has got such a complete game. To see him go and get a massive score is awesome. I'm not surprised at all in him going on and 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," said Root.

"I knew how good he was going to be, it was just when he was going to figure it out. The pace he has matured into the player he is is probably the one thing which has shocked me."

Pakistan's Australian assistant coach Tim Nielsen admitted his side had been confounded by Brook's ability to score at will all across the park.

"I've kind of been thinking about it for about three hours, I must say, probably 12 hours. You might need to give us a couple of days to come up with a solution," he said.

"He's just playing so well. He's got such power... we almost got scared of bowling straight at times. He's a 20-Test player and now to have scored a 300, it's pretty storied company."