Harry Brook said that keeping Jofra Archer out was a decision made considering the amount of cricket England is going to play in the future. Earlier, the pacer had a scorching three-match ODI series against the Proteas, ending with eight wickets, the joint-highest, getting two back-to-back four-wicket hauls
Harry Brook (Pic: X/@ICC)
In the first T20I match against England, South Africa registered a victory by 14 runs by the DLS method at the Sophia Gardens Cricket Ground.
Speaking on the loss, England skipper Harry Brook said that the limited overs to bat make it difficult, and the side also didn't execute the plan right.
"It was a long, long day. I don't think we need to make any excuses. We probably didn't execute as well as we should have with bat and ball. It's bloody hard when you only bat for five overs," Brook said as quoted from ESPNcricinfo.
During the match, England opted to keep their fierce pacer Jofra Archer out of the playing XI.
The skipper further said that keeping Jofra Archer out was a decision made considering the amount of cricket England is going to play in the future.
"It would have been stupid to play him with the amount of cricket we've got coming up. If he'd have gone out in the boundary and done what Adam Hose did in The Hundred and broken his leg or whatever, that would have been a shambles," he said.
"As soon as we knew that the game was shortened, we didn't think it was quite necessary for Jof to play. Obviously, the outfield was sodden, and he's got a lot of cricket to play in the next few months with a big series coming up. So, yeah, we decided not to play him," added the 26-year-old cricketer.
Earlier, the pacer had a scorching three-match ODI series against the Proteas, ending with eight wickets, the joint-highest, getting two back-to-back four-wicket hauls.
Archer made his Test comeback during the Anderson-Tendulkar Trophy against Team India. Having played two Test matches, he claimed nine wickets on his return to the format.
Earlier, he was out of action due to injuries and workload management.
The second T20I match between South Africa and England is scheduled to be played on September 11 at Old Trafford Cricket Ground. The third and final T20I match between the teams will be played on September 14 at Trent Bridge Cricket Ground.
(With ANI Inputs)
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