T20 series ‘worthwhile’ despite washouts – Brook

Auckland’s third T20

New Zealand 38-1 (3.4 overs): Seifert 23* (11), Carse 1-25

England: Did not bat.

England win series 1-0; match abandoned.

Despite the rain, England’s T20 series in New Zealand has still been “very worthwhile,” according to captain Harry Brook.

Only 20 were bowled in the first match in Christchurch, and only 3.4% of those bowled in the third T20 were possible on Thursday in Auckland.

In the run-up to the T20 World Cup in February, England won the series 1-0 thanks to a dominant 65-run victory in the second game. Brook insisted that the time they have had off the field has been beneficial.

“The other night was a class game to be a part of,” Brook said.

“We had a lot of fun out there, and it was definitely entertaining.”

This series was scheduled for a surprisingly early start to New Zealand’s season, which was always going to be overshadowed by England’s build-up to the Ashes series starting next month.

Some people may be offended by Brook’s proposal to talk about their off-field interactions. Some fans find England’s habit of talking about golf unsettling, but Brook’s comments are accurate.

Under Jos Buttler’s captaincy, England’s white-ball squads frequently felt depressed and defeated due to their demises at the 2023 World Cup, the T20 World Cup in 2024, and the Champions Trophy earlier this year.

While coach Brendon McCullum revitalized the Test side with their innovative “Bazball” approach, some players chose to skip bilateral series for franchise opportunities.

McCullum regularly promoted a relaxed and enjoyable environment in the Test group as a result of his initial efforts to combine his White-ball coaching duties with his Test duties at the start of the year.

Before this tour, England made a team-building stop in Queenstown, New Zealand’s adventure sports capital, where golf is naturally a top priority.

We had a few days of team bonding and spent a lot of time together, which the white-ball team has never had, added Brook.

To be able to spend time together and make good friends. We had a lot of fun, and having fun off the field can also help you on the field.

It has been incredibly worthwhile.

As England’s white-ball captain, Brook has won his first overseas series. Since he took over England’s white-ball teams in April, they have won seven of their eight T20 victories.

However, they will ultimately be judged at the T20 World Cup in February, so they only have three more games to play on January 30 against Sri Lanka, the host nation, before the campaign kicks off.

When Joe Root, Ben Duckett, Jofra Archer, Jofra Archer, and Jamie Smith join the squad for their third one-day international series against the Black Caps on Sunday (02:00 BST), Archer will miss his first ODI to manage his workload before traveling to Australia.