Harry Brook told his England side not to fret over their series-levelling defeat by Sri Lanka and is already casting an eye on Sunday’s decider.
England had the chance to wrap up the Metro Bank Series with a game to spare at Headingley – securing what would have been their fourth white-ball success of the summer – but went down by 16 runs after injury struck at a critical moment of their chase.
Replying to Sri Lanka’s 321, they were motoring along at 254 for four when Jos Buttler strained his hamstring dashing through for a second run.
Buttler had been in complete control, unbeaten on 66 with five sixes and five fours, but once he retired hurt it was the beginning of the end for England.
He defied the pain barrier to return in the closing moments but was unable to flip the momentum back in his side’s favour as the innings subsided on 304 for nine.
For Brook it was a bump in the road and one that cannot afford to detract from the job that lies ahead in London.
“You can look back and dwell on so many different areas but that is not what this team does, we go back to the drawing board and get ready for the Oval,” he said.
“There were plenty of areas we probably weren’t at our best but to compete and show the fight we did, to take it to the last over was great and the way Jos (Buttler) came back out was a credit to him.
“We’ve got a great opportunity now to try and win this series. In pressure situations, like the one that awaits us at the Oval, it will be great to see where we are as a team.
“As a team, as a group of individuals, it’s a chance to stand up and win this series.”
Victory would have meant England’s record chase against Sri Lanka, and the eighth highest in their ODI history, and it looked to be on the cards for long periods.
An opening stand of 143 between Ben Duckett and Tom Banton took a big chunk out the task and Buttler’s partnership with Will Jacks was on the way to making things safe when his left leg buckled.
Brook denied that the injury, and the decision about when or whether to send Buttler back in, unsettled the dressing room but admitted his extended absence took a toll.
“Everyone was very calm and collected, we all knew he was probably going to come back out at some point. He was very keen to get back out,” Brook said.
“But a player of his ability…it’s always going to have an effect on a chase like that because we know what he can do – the power he possesses, the ability to put pressure on their bowlers.
“But we can’t just point that out and say it was the main reason we lost, there’s other areas we lost the game as well.”
