3 months ago
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Caught in two minds or caught in the deep - England were never going to be guilty of the former in their heavy one-day loss against Australia on Thursday.
The latter though... guilty as charged, and it condemned them to a chastening seven-wicket defeat against their oldest enemy at Trent Bridge in the first game of a five-match series.
Under captain Harry Brook, in his first game in charge, England slumped from a commanding 213-2 to 315 all out as they gave Australia's boundary riders catching practice.
After the match, Brook suggested he was "not too fussed" about the nature of England's dismissals, but former England captain Sir Alastair Cook believes the Yorkshire batter "might cringe" at such comments in future.
"We are out there to score runs," said Brook. "If you get caught somewhere on the boundary or in the field then who cares?
"On another day that could go for six so I'm not too fussed about that.
"Obviously it was grabbing in the pitch but another day we hit them for six. They hit a few in the air and they landed safely so a little bit unlucky.
"We want to entertain like I have said a few times. Obviously we care but if you get out trying to score runs that's the way we want to play."
But Cook suggested Brook, 25, may come to regret his remarks in years to come and believes he would have worded his post-match messaging differently.
"I think if he has his time again, in a few years' time as captain, Harry Brook might cringe a little bit at saying what he actually said," the former England captain told BBC Test Match Special.
"He gave a bad answer to a question about not minding being caught on the boundary.
"I understand what he is trying to say. He's trying to give that message about taking the right option.
"Ultimately they have to be better at recognising the pitch they are on. They messed up from 200-2 and were not good enough with the bat."
After England subsided with the bat, Travis Head proceeded to thump a blistering 154 not out as Australia cruised to a 13th straight win in ODIs.
Head, for his part, is probably in Brook's camp - recognising the need for fortune.
"I got a bit lucky at the start," said Head, who was player of the match in last year's World Cup final. "The start was tough. Jof [Archer] had it moving around corners.
"If you can get through there are a lot of runs on offer, especially here. It is nice I could contribute.
"We did an exceptional job to get it to 315 [with the ball]. It felt like it would be a few more."
The series moves to Leeds next, with the second match at Headingley on Saturday at 11:00 BST.
