ENG vs SA: Harry Brook dismisses fatigue as excuse after ODI series defeat

England's white-ball captain Harry Brook has urged his teammates to keep pushing forward despite a hectic schedule, following a second successive defeat to South Africa in the ongoing three-match ODI series. After a narrow loss at Lord's, the skipper dismissed suggestions that England should rest their senior Test players, especially with the all-important Ashes starting in November.

England have been juggling formats non-stop, with several players, including Brook, Ben Duckett, Joe Root, and Jamie Smith, coming straight from a five-match Test series against India into The Hundred before returning to international duty. Brook believes that the best eleven should play in every white-ball game.

"I'm not selecting the Ashes side, that's up to Stokesy and Baz. We want to try and play our strongest side in every white-ball game. We've got World Cups coming up-the T20 World Cup this winter and the one-day World Cup the following winter," he said.

Despite admitting that the schedule is demanding, Brook refused to use fatigue as an excuse for England's recent struggles. "It's easy to say that (we're tired), but in my eyes that's just an excuse. We're good enough and fit enough to keep playing for the time being," he added.

In the second ODI, the hosts put up a much-improved batting performance, showing positive signs after a horrendous display in the series opener at Headingley, where they were dismissed for just 131 before South Africa cruised to a seven-wicket win in under 21 overs. At Lord's, England mounted a strong fight while chasing a big target of 331 but eventually fell short by just five runs, handing South Africa an unassailable 2-0 lead. Brook felt the team came close to pulling off a memorable chase.

"We felt they (South Africa) were 10 or 15 above par, so it was a very good effort for us to get within one blow of their score," he commented.

However, England's hopes were dented by expensive spells from part-time spinners Jacob Bethell and Will Jacks, who conceded a combined 112 runs in just 10 overs. Brook admitted he had made a tactical error during the match.

"I probably got it wrong on one occasion when I bowled Jacksy from the Pavilion End to the right-handers hitting it down the hill. It was a gamble, and the gamble didn't pay off," he explained.

This was only the second ODI series win for South Africa in England, the first coming in 1998, and the visitors will aim for a clean sweep in the third ODI at Southampton on Sunday, 7 September.