England’s ODI skipper, Harry Brook, does not believe fatigue is the reason behind their ongoing home series defeat to South Africa.
The hosts have already lost the first two ODIs of the three-match series. In the opening game, England were bowled out for just 131 in 24.3 overs, with Jamie Smith scoring 54 while no other batter crossed the 20-run mark. They showed improvement in the second ODI, chasing a stiff target of 331, but eventually fell short by just five runs.
“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 keep playing for the time being. 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,” Brook said.
England’s part-time bowlers, especially Will Jacks and Jacob Bethell, struggled in the second ODI, conceding 112 runs in just 10 overs. Brook admitted his tactical mistake in their usage.
“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. It was a gamble, and the gamble didn’t pay off,” he explained.
With this series win, South Africa secured their first ODI series triumph in England in 27 years. The final ODI is scheduled for Sunday, September 7, in Southampton, where the Proteas will be aiming for a clean sweep.
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