Even a broken clock is right once a day, or twice, depending on how you interpret analog time. With that hopeful outlook, it’s worth noting that English cricket, somewhat by accident, has made a good decision. For better or worse, this will play out over the coming week.
This is something to appreciate, even if it starts looking shaky as early as this weekend’s second one-day international against Australia. The decision involves Harry Brook, and when he’s in the mix, that’s generally a positive.
At this stage in the domestic cricket season, any good news is a cause for celebration. As we inch towards October, the sport is propped up by clips of village-level batting, chilly fingers, and double-bouncers that folks in Australia can chuckle at. The summer of 2024, however, stands out as the most lackluster, seemingly irrelevant English cricket season in recent memory. It feels like a clear turning point where the game has visibly retreated into the background.
It’s almost as if the English summer of cricket has been kept on life support. We see it being carted around like a lifeless body, just to maintain appearances, with commentators still talking the game up. The most striking aspect has been the randomness of it all—T20 finals day suddenly arrives, but it’s no longer as vital as it once was. Then there’s the rebranded 50-over Cup, which has become more like a competition between farmers and teenagers. Meanwhile, the summer wraps up with a no-stakes Test series that feels more like a beer match.
Essex’s £100,000 fine for decades of institutional racism added to the bleakness of the season. It’s a fine so low because English cricket can barely afford to deal with its own problems anymore.
Yet, amidst this gloom, there is some life. England has, almost by accident, appointed Harry Brook as the temporary ODI captain. It won’t change much in the short term, but it feels refreshing, fun, and possibly a glimpse into the future.
No one really knows how Brook will fare as a captain. His leadership experience is limited to the Hundred and an Under-19 World Cup where things didn’t go so well. But it’s still exciting, and I believe Brook might be better off replacing Jos Buttler entirely. Buttler has had his chance and hasn’t played a domestic 50-over game since 2016. While he’s both a celebrity and an excellent cricketer, English cricket could benefit from setting higher standards for itself.
Brook, on the other hand, is a brilliant player—elegant, aggressive, and fully committed to England. He’s already turned down lucrative offers from the IPL and Big Bash League, which says a lot about his loyalty.
The best thing about Brook, though, is that he’s just a normal person. He’s not posh or corporate, but likable and down-to-earth. When he walked into his first press conference as captain, his casual “All right?” surprised the room. That kind of authenticity is rare in cricket these days.
Of course, Brook becoming captain won’t fix the deeper issues in English cricket. The game remains in its bubble, its connection with the broader public slipping away. But at least Brook represents someone who has broken through the barriers, someone who might just have the staying power to lead England into a new era. No pressure, Harry.
