Stand-in skipper Harry Brook says he is not “too fussed” about England’s dismissals during their first ODI defeat to Australia, saying the side was focused on entertaining and playing their shots instead.
Brook has been named England’s stand-in captain for the ODI series against Australia after Jos Buttler’s withdrawal due to injury. However, he did not have the greatest start to his captaincy tenure as England slipped to a seven-wicket loss after collapsing from 213-2 to 315 all out on Thursday (September 19) at Nottingham.
The hosts were guilty of playing rash shots, with Jamie Smith starting the procession, holing out on the leg side boundary off Matthew Short. Liam Livingstone and Brydon Carse also fell while attempting big shots as England fell to 278-7. Jofra Archer, Jacob Bethell and Adil Rashid were out while looking to hit big as well, setting a new home record in the process.
The target of 316 did not pose much trouble to the visitors, who chased it down with six overs to spare.
The manner of the defeat did not bother Brook, though, who said that’s how the team wanted to play. Speaking on Test Match Special after the game, he said: “We are out there to score runs. If you get caught somewhere on the boundary or in the field then who cares?
"On another day that could go for six so I'm not too fussed about that.”
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Brook added that the England team wanted to play to entertain and their style of batting on Thursday lived up to it. "Obviously it was grabbing in the pitch but another day we hit them for six. They hit a few in the air and they landed safely so a little bit unlucky. We want to entertain like I have said a few times.
"Obviously we care but if you get out trying to score runs that's the way we want to play."
Alastair Cook: Brook might cringe a little bit in a few years' time
Alastair Cook was not pleased with Brook’s comments, saying the 25-year-old might come to regret his statement in a few years. “I think if he has his time again, in a few years' time as captain, Harry Brook might cringe a little bit at saying what he actually said. He gave a bad answer to a question about not minding being caught on the boundary.
“I understand what he is trying to say. He's trying to give that message about taking the right option. Ultimately they have to be better at recognising the pitch they are on. They messed up from 200-2 and were not good enough with the bat.”
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