Stuart Broad believes England’s white-ball team are suffering from “jaded minds” after a packed summer, suggesting both Ben Duckett and Joe Root are in need of a break.
Two defeats in three days at the hands of South Africa – a rapid-fire hammering at Headingley followed by a five-run defeat at Lord’s – mean England have lost the Metro Bank One-Day International series with a game still to play at Southampton on Sunday.
The hosts have been caught cold, barrelling into the series a matter of hours after the conclusion of The Hundred, which itself followed sharply on the heels of a fiercely contested five-Test tussle against India.
Root, Duckett, captain Harry Brook and Jamie Smith have been ever present during that draining period, while Jofra Archer has also played across all three formats.
They have all been stood down for the T20 trip to Ireland later this month but, with a hotly anticipated Ashes tour just a couple of months away, former England seamer Broad feels that could be overdue.
“I thought England looked a bit tired. It’s understandable, that is not me having a dig,” he told Sky Sports Cricket.
“They played 25 days solid, hard cricket against India in the Test series and two days later they were straight into the The Hundred. Now they’re playing a white-ball series and the winter is only getting busier.
“Now they have lost this series I would be half-tempted to send Duckett and Root up the M1 (to go home) rather than down to Southampton for the third ODI.
“I think there are some jaded minds. The group look tired. I always look at body language in the field for how it’s going and it felt pretty flat. That a bit of a problem.”
Brook, who assumed the white-ball captaincy from Jos Buttler earlier this year, made it clear after the end of the Lord’s defeat he had no plans to change the squad, which was scheduled to travel together on Friday before an optional net session at the Utilita Bowl on the eve of the match.
He and head coach Brendon McCullum will surely look at changes, though, with Tom Banton in line as the spare batter and the in-form Rehan Ahmed eager for a chance to take his impressive domestic form back on to the international stage. Jamie Overton is also on hand and could help alter the balance of the side as a pace bowling all-rounder.
England paid dearly for trusting a full 10-over block to Will Jacks and Jacob Bethell at Lord’s, with the spin pair looking over-promoted with the ball as they shipped a combined 112.
South Africa’s Matthew Breetzke, who top-scored with 85 to continue a remarkable start in ODI cricket, admitted the Proteas made a conscious effort to prey on England’s makeweight bowlers.
“I would say so, a little bit, yeah. We felt Adil Rashid was on it and bowling really well so we just had to suck it up and see what we could get from him. The other guys, we looked to score a little more freely,” Breetzke said.
“We were thinking of a 280 score but it just got easier as we batted along.”
Dylan Lawlor praised by head coach Craig Bellamy after starring on Wales debut
Harry Brook doesn’t accept tiredness as an excuse for England’s subpar performances
Friday’s briefing: Levy leaves Tottenham and Wales and Northern Ireland win
Jacob Bethell’s innings against South Africa offers silver lining in England gloom
South Africa beat England by five runs to wrap up ODI series
England face record run chase to set up decider as South Africa score 331
