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A puff of cheeks followed by a glance up at the sky. He let out a “fookin’ ‘ellll” sound through his mouth. In the 34th over of England’s chase, Harry Brook’s response said it all. Who gives a damn? Yes, he does.
His first ODI century brought a wave of relief that you could sense more widely about the past week, his role in it, and the circumstances his team faced at the Seat Unique Riverside. England were on their way to winning this third One-Day International in Durham, following two humiliating losses. And at last, a cricket player who maybe had no idea how draining an ODI leadership might be experienced as the least pressured of the two leaders.
There are some disclaimers, of course, but none related to the fact that rain forced the players to leave the pitch in the 38th over of England’s run for 305. The 74 balls remained, and Brook and Liam Livingstone had started gobbling up what was left, leaving 51 on the table that would likely be consumed in less than half of the time. At the play-break, they led 46 to 46 on DLS.
Australia’s decision to rest Travis Head contributed to their slow start, as they only managed nine boundaries in the first twenty-five overs. However, a late burst saw them reach 304 for 7. Due to Adam Zampa’s illness, they were left without an extra element, as Glenn Maxwell and Matthew Short’s full-time “part-time” offspin combined for three forgettable overs.
Not only did Brook win his third successive toss, but the weather at Chester-le-Street was ideal for bowling up top, even though it hadn’t helped at Trent Bridge or Headingley. However, it proved to be the first of many wise decisions in what ended up being a successful day for the 25-year-old.
Before he shone with the bat, Brook showed a respectable degree of guile in the field. The best of it was probably when Steven Smith removed Cameron Green with an unusually close and narrow mid-on, ending an 84-run stand that saw Steven Smith virtually protecting Matthew Potts, the fielder, at the non-striker’s end while Jacob Bethell swirled his left-arm orthodox from around the wicket.
Marnus Labuschagne was traded in for a duck after another adjustment. The Australian No. 5 tried to relieve himself with a scoop off Jacks, eager to score early despite being shut out of alternatives below the line. Jamie Smith caught an easy ball behind the stumps after it ricocheted off his grille.
While it was evident at the time, Tuesday’s knock, which featured two sixes and thirteen fours, serves as a helpful reference to make it very evident. Here was Brook leading from the front, in that comfortable place where he shows how much he cares by not caring enough.