Harry Brook urges England to ‘go a little bit harder’ in next New Zealand clash

Harry Brook wants England to take a leaf out of his book following a breathtaking century from the Yorkshireman in their four-wicket defeat by New Zealand in Mount Maunganui.

England were reeling on five for three in the first of three ODIs when Brook strode to the crease in favourable seam bowling conditions and their position worsened as they lurched to 33 for five.

Brook was the only top-seven batter to reach double figures and he rescued them from total ignominy with 135 off 101 balls, accounting for 60.54 per cent of his side’s 223 – a record for England in ODIs.

While his innings augurs well with less than four weeks until the start of the Ashes, Brook’s Test team-mates Jamie Smith, Ben Duckett and Joe Root could not get going in their first knocks of the tour.

Brook, though, feels his top-order team-mates could have done more to offset opening bowlers Matt Henry and Zak Foulkes, who shared the first six wickets that were instrumental in teeing up a Black Caps win.

Asked what was racing through his mind when he walked out to bat at the end of the second over, England’s white-ball captain responded: “Get myself in and then try and smack it.

“Obviously it wasn’t an ideal start but it was a do-or-die moment. I always like to try and take the aggressive option and look to put them under as much pressure as possible.

“The question I would ask is can we probably go a little bit harder? I think so. I think we can try and knock them off their lengths a little bit more and capitalise on their slightly off balls.”

Henry knocked over Smith first ball before Foulkes, playing in just his second ODI, squared up Duckett and got the edge then castled Root with an inswinger and Jacob Bethell with late away movement.

While England’s top three are, barring injury, certainties to play in the Ashes, Bethell is attempting to supplant Ollie Pope but he has just two more innings in New Zealand to further his case.

Asked whether he is worried about England’s top four, he said: “It’s definitely not a cause for concern, they’re all unbelievable players.

“There’s a reason why they’re playing cricket for England – they’re the best four batters in the country.

“It’s just one of those days, you’ve got three Test batters in the top-three, Rooty, Ducky and Smudge didn’t come off, another day they all get 30 and we’re off to a hell of a start.”

Brydon Carse, who is among England’s battery of fast bowlers for next month’s trip to Australia, claimed three wickets as New Zealand lurched to 66 for four before poor fielding let the tourists down.

They dropped three catches as Michael Bracewell was put down on two and Daryl Mitchell on 33, with the former making 51 and the latter 78 not out to get the Kiwis home and hosed with 13.2 overs to spare.

Brook added: “I think we’re one of the best fielding sides in the world. Everybody drops catches. I’ve dropped plenty in my time. If we take them catches you never know but unfortunately we didn’t.”