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Harry Brook urged England’s multi-format cricketers to press on amid a gruelling schedule following another loss to South Africa.
White-ball captain Brook and England teammates Ben Duckett, Joe Root and Jamie Smith were all involved throughout a draining drawn Test series with India before going straight into the Hundred.
No sooner had that domestic event finished then they were all back on England duty, having to adapt to the very different demands of one-day international cricket against a hardened and talented South Africa side.
England duly suffered a seven-wicket thrashing in Tuesday’s series opener at Headingley, after collapsing to an embarrassing 131 all out.
But they put up a much better fight at Lord’s on Thursday before losing by just five runs, chasing 331 to win, in a match that went all the way to the last ball.
South Africa now have an unassailable 2-0 lead in a three-match series ahead of Sunday’s finale in Southampton.
The teams then meet in three Twenty20 internationals before England, with a refreshed squad, travel to Ireland for a further three T20s.
Brook, however, rejected suggestions England should now rest their leading Test players, particularly a spent-looking Duckett, ahead of a showpiece Test series in Australia starting in November.
“I’m not selecting the Ashes side, that’s up to (Ben) Stokesy and Baz (Brendon McCullum),” he said, referring to England’s red-ball captain and head coach.
“We want to try and play our strongest side in every white-ball game. We’ve World Cups coming up — the T20 World Cup this winter and the one-day World Cup the following winter.”
“It’s easy to say that (we’re tired), but in my eyes that’s just an excuse. We’re good enough and fit enough to be able to keep playing for the time being.”
Brook, meanwhile, was heartened by England’s improved batting display at Lord’s following their woeful showing at his Yorkshire home ground two days earlier.
“We felt they (South Africa) were 10 or 15 above par, so it was a very good effort for us to get within one blow of their score,” he said.
England’s hopes of a series-levelling win, however, were compromised by occasional spinners Jacob Bethell and Will Jacks being thrashed for 112 runs in a combined 10 overs.
“I probably got it wrong on one occasion when I bowled Jacksy from the Pavilion End to the right-handers hitting it down the hill,” said Brook.
“It was a gamble, and the gamble didn’t pay off.”
