'undercooked And Overcooked' - Frazzled England Humbled

South Africa person a wont of forcing introspection successful English cricket.

Previous defeats inflicted by nan Proteas' Test squad resulted successful nan resignations of 3 England captains successful succession: Nasser Hussain, Michael Vaughan and Andrew Strauss.

Two years ago, they handed retired a thumping successful Mumbai successful a World Cup conclusion which sent England's 50-over squad into a spiral from which they are yet to recover, and different astatine this year's Champions Trophy was nan past successful Jos Buttler's reign arsenic white-ball captain.

This latest one-day world thrashing astatine Headingley, nan 3rd successful a statement successful nan format aft those 2 successful India and Pakistan, will not origin specified searching of nan soul.

Yes, England were crushed by a separator not illustrated by nan specified 7 wickets written connected nan scorecard. The gulf is amended described by their fans' ironic cheers erstwhile a wicket yet fell, aliases by nan truth those successful attendance near earlier nan floodlights had taken hold.

But while a reality cheque for Harry Brook astatine nan commencement of his reign arsenic white-ball skipper should not beryllium a trigger for drastic changes, neither tin it beryllium simply swept aside.

Those successful complaint should inquire whether England's players, pushed retired again and again this summer, were ever fixed nan champion chance?

"A batch of teams would make excuses but we are not one," Brook said, some conforming to and contradicting coach Brendon McCullum's telephone for humility.

The 26-year-old, who remained upbeat aft a first conclusion 7 matches successful nan job, alternatively wanted to walk nan conclusion disconnected arsenic a bad day.

"We person to put that down america and ace onto nan adjacent game," he said.

Brook is ne'er 1 to overthink and will purpose to practise nan words he preached.

The concern, though, is nan mode successful which he and his chap batters subsided.

After their skipper was dismissed - nan Yorkshireman not blameless for nan disorder pinch Jamie Smith that led to his run-out - England mislaid 7 wickets for 21 runs successful 7.1 overs to beryllium each retired for 131.

Jacob Bethell edged to slip, Will Jacks chipped backmost and moreover Jos Buttler was subdued earlier wafting pinch his hands distant from his body.

It was nan type of meek guidance usually saved for nan extremity of an Ashes circuit erstwhile heads are scrambled.

It would beryllium small wonderment if tiredness successful Brook's mind played immoderate portion successful his mid-pitch alteration of thought which ended successful his tally out.

In his programme notes he described this summer's India Test bid arsenic "certainly nan astir tiring" he has been a portion of.

Since then, he had 3 days disconnected earlier a period captaining Northern Superchargers successful nan whirlwind of The Hundred, correct up until Saturday night's late-night rain-thwarted elimination astatine The Oval.

"If feels for illustration this will beryllium somewhat easier because it is slower," he said earlier this match, erstwhile asked really he will woody pinch switching from 1 format (100 balls per side) to nan different (300 balls).

"I will person much clip to deliberation astir what is going connected and moving fielders."

He whitethorn person a different position 36 hours connected aft a lucifer that lasted little than 1 completed innings.

Sympathy for England will beryllium successful short supply.

Alternating betwixt formats is portion of nan modern crippled and South Africa had their ain hurdles, having been successful Australia 9 days agone and needing to woody pinch a travel from Mackay to Brisbane to Sydney to nan UK via Singapore.

Still, England's mentation was non-existent: location are nary squad meetings pinch Brook's England.

"I'll ne'er person a meeting," he said connected Monday. "Most overrated things ever."

And while immoderate whitethorn agree, a alteration from nan shortest to nan longest white-ball formats requires a recalculation somewhere.

For Jacks and Joe Root, 2 of nan 5 England players who drove up to Leeds connected Monday aft playing successful nan Hundred final, that will person to person been done connected nan M1.

Their travel meant only 8 players were successful attendance erstwhile England trained connected Sunday – nan time they clasp their main training convention is 2 days earlier immoderate match.

Brook's other number Temba Bavuma whitethorn person been celebrating Liverpool's triumph astatine Anfield arsenic they did, but astatine slightest South Africa had been playing those 50-over matches successful Australia.

After this chastening defeat, Brook said: "At nan extremity we almost utilized it arsenic a believe convention erstwhile we knew nan crippled was dead. Lads were practising their skills."

They whitethorn person benefited from doing truthful 48 hours earlier.

Such is nan schedule, location is nary clip for England to do immoderate superior activity successful nan nets earlier nan 2nd lucifer connected Thursday.

Brook's astir important task will beryllium his guidance of 22-year-old seamer Sonny Baker, who returned nan astir costly figures by an England one-day debutant.

After Baker's first 4 overs costs 0-56, Brook recalled him to nan onslaught for 3 much - simply an effort to get him a wicket and brighten a time which began pinch Baker's family joining nan England huddle pre-match.

It did not work. Baker ended pinch 0-76, to spell pinch his first-ball duck pinch nan bat.

Now Brook, a man of fewer words, needs to find a measurement to guarantee Baker, a man of many, does not overthink successful nan days inbetween.

After Lord's, nan ODIs reason successful Southampton connected Sunday, earlier 3 T20s against nan Proteas crossed 5 days and 3 much against Ireland successful Dublin 3 days later.

This squad's Ashes quintet - Brook, Root, Ben Duckett, Jofra Archer and Brydon Carse - whitethorn beryllium missing those matches successful Ireland but location is still hardly much than a period betwixt nan last lucifer against South Africa and nan travel to New Zealand for much white-ball matches which precede nan Ashes.

It was announced connected Tuesday greeting that Australia skipper Pat Cummins will return nan adjacent 2 months off to effort to beryllium fresh for nan first Test successful Perth.

A necessity to move astir their white-ball fortunes intends England cannot spend to do nan aforesaid pinch their cardinal men.

They managed to look some nether and overcooked successful Leeds.

The erstwhile is concerning. The consequence of nan second continuing could beryllium moreover worse.