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Harry Brook Calls Ashes "Frustrating," Vows Patience After 78* on Day 1

England batter Harry Brook has described the Ashes series in Australia as frustrating, despite being consistently in double figures. He remained unbeaten on 78 at the end of a rain-affected first day in Sydney, batting alongside Joe Root. Brook acknowledged he has struggled to convert starts into major scores, a hallmark of his early career. He plans to focus on greater patience and taking singles to better handle pressure in future innings.

Key Points: Harry Brook Reflects on Frustrating Ashes Series, Plans Patience

  • Brook unbeaten on 78 with Root on Day 1
  • Calls Ashes tour a "frustrating" series
  • Has 310 runs but lacks a big century
  • Vows to be more patient and absorb pressure
2 min read

"It's been a frustrating series": Harry Brook reflects on tough Ashes series Down Under

England's Harry Brook admits frustration at not converting starts in the Ashes, scoring 78* on Day 1 in Sydney and pledging to be more patient at the crease.

"It's been a frustrating series": Harry Brook reflects on tough Ashes series Down Under
"It's been a frustrating series. I've been in double figures every innings bar one. - Harry Brook"

Sydney, January 4

England batter Harry Brook admitted that the ongoing Australia vs England Ashes series has been a frustrating one for the 26-year-old, as he hasn't been able to get a big score.

England ended a rain-hit Day 1 at 211/3 from 45 overs, with Brook remaining unbeaten on 78 alongside Root on 72. So far, Brook has scored 310 runs in nine innings on the tour. While he has managed to get two fifties, he has not been able to convert the starts into a big total.

Speaking at the post-day press conference on Saturday, Brook described the Ashes series so far as frustrating, noting that although he's consistently scored in double figures, he hasn't been able to convert them into big scores like he usually does.

"It's been a frustrating series. I've been in double figures every innings bar one. That's what I've done so well in my career. I've managed to go on and get big scores. It just hasn't happened this series. It's all part of the learning curve. It's not an easy place to come on tour. The surfaces do change every game and throughout the game. It's been a good trip to be a part of. Obviously we've ended up on the wrong side of it, but hopefully there'll be plenty more times I come over here," Brook said in the press conference.

Brook has managed scores of 52, 0, 31, 15, 45, 30, 41, 18 and 78* in the Ashes.

Brook acknowledged he needs to be more patient at the crease, focusing on taking singles rather than always going for boundaries. He felt he applied this approach well on Saturday's play and some previous innings and plans to continue building it into his game to handle pressure better.

"I've just got to be a little bit more patient and take my ones here and there. Thankfully, I did that today. I did that in a couple of the other innings as well. That's something I've got to think about going forward and put that into my game. I look to try and be a little bit more patient at times. Like I said a couple of weeks ago, absorb the pressure. Whether that's taking my ones instead of trying to hit boundaries, then so be it," Brook added.

- ANI

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Reader Comments

S
Sarah B
As an Indian cricket fan, I can relate! We've seen our own batters struggle to convert 50s into 100s in tough conditions. Brook has talent, no doubt. But Test cricket in Australia is the ultimate challenge. This series will make him a better player.
A
Arjun K
Frustrating for him, but 310 runs in 9 innings in an Ashes series in Australia isn't a disaster at all! He's still averaging in the 30s. Many greats have had worse tours. He just needs one big score to change the narrative. Good attitude from the youngster.
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Priyanka N
Respect for his honest self-assessment. Admitting you need to be more patient is half the battle. In India, we always say "khadoos" batting is needed abroad. Hope he sticks to his plan tomorrow and gets that well-deserved century! 🤞
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Michael C
To be fair, the English batting has relied too much on individual brilliance. The team strategy seems off. Brook is a fantastic player, but he's being asked to do too much too soon. The management needs to look at the broader picture, not just one player's conversion rate.
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Kavya N
Watching from Mumbai! The Ashes is always thrilling. Brook's 78* was a classy knock. Sometimes you just need that one big innings to get the monkey off your back. Hope he gets it in the second innings. The battle between bat and ball down under is something else! 🏏

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