Brook barrage puts England on top but concerns about recklessness remain

No coach, particularly McCullum, would want to temper Brook’s flair and aggression. But when he is pulling a short ball and a top edge lands between three fielders, as it did off Mitchell Starc when he was on 45 and well set, it displays an irresponsibility that is reckless from the team’s vice-captain.

Two balls from Cameron Green encapsulated the issue. One bouncer into the arm pit was flapped at and edged down to fine leg for a single. The next, another short one, was whipped majestically for six and, going with the wind, landed 20 rows back over the very same fielder.

This is why teams go to the short ball against Brook; starting from the Lord’s Ashes Tests of 2023. His habit of hitting from low to high increases the chance of taking a wicket. “I could have played it better at times. It didn’t feel amazing today but on another day it’ll feel a hell of a lot better, so happy that I just got through it,” Brook said.

“I’ve just got to be a little bit more patient and take my ones here and there, and thankfully I did that today. I did that in a couple of the other innings as well. So, that’s something I’ve got to think about going forward and put that into my game and look to try and be a little bit patient at times, whether that’s taking my ones instead of trying to hit boundaries, then so be it. But it’s obviously not worked this series because I haven’t scored as many runs as I’d have liked.”

Those are encouraging words if he acts on them, and he if plays in a set-up that promotes that kind of sensible play. Brook has had a better series than Duckett whose highest score is the 34 he hacked in the Melbourne run chase. The opener has been one of the most consistent players of the Bazball era, but the bounce in Australia, and taking the bait outside off stump, has cost him. 

Here, Australia did it again. Duckett whipped two lovely fours off his legs and slapped another through the covers, but then prodded half-heartedly at a wider ball from Starc and nicked off. Most of his dismissals have been down to half-hearted prods – he has died wondering, the Ashes pressure scrambling the mind. Maybe Duckett is the one who should just go harder and retain the aggression.

His wicket was the start of a collapse. Zak Crawley was pinned leg before to the fourth ball of Michael Neser’s second spell and Jacob Bethell edged behind Scott Boland coming over the wicket and nibbling one away.