Harry Brook did not even get onto the field on Saturday evening, yet the Northern Superchargers captain still found himself fielding questions about England selection. A persistent sheet of Leeds rain scrubbed out the men’s Eliminator, allowing Trent Rockets to advance on group standings, and left Brook chatting in the Headingley tunnel about two of his form batters: Zak Crawley and Jordan Cox.
“Everybody’s in the mix: whoever does well,” Brook said on Saturday night. “He [Crawley] obviously has the attributes that we’re talking about: putting pressure on the bowlers with their good and bad balls; he can manipulate the field really well; he’s good against fast bowling and he’s good against spin. He’s got all the attributes to play white-ball [cricket] for England.”
Those attributes have been on show over the past month. Crawley has plundered 280 runs at a strike-rate north of 160, good enough for third on the men’s charts before Sunday’s final. Only Cox (327) and Jos Buttler (283) sit above him. Cox’s free-wheeling fifty against Birmingham Phoenix, plus three other rapid knocks, underlined what Surrey supporters have long argued: the 24-year-old can finish games as well as start them.
Yet neither player found a place in England’s limited-overs squads named last week. Crawley has eight ODI appearances, the last of them in December 2023, and remains uncapped in T20Is. Cox toured the Caribbean in early 2024 but has not featured since. With South Africa arriving for three ODIs from Tuesday and three T20Is to follow, Brook knows the window is narrow.
“It’s the same with everybody. Everybody’s been talking about Jordan Cox: he’s obviously an unbelievable player, alongside Creeps. You’ve just got to keep on doing it, and be as consistent as you can for a long period of time… It’s good to have competition [for places].”
Brook’s own diary has looked relentless since the start of England’s Test summer in late May. He took over the white-ball captaincy from Buttler in April, but has juggled the role with County Championship commitments and now the Hundred. Still, he insists the balance is fine.
“I’ve said a million times that England cricket gets my priority. I’ve been trying my best throughout this competition to stay as fresh as I can for England.”
Freshness, though, did little for the Superchargers’ luck. Last season they missed the knockouts on net run rate; this time they reached them only to be rained off the park. Brook’s record as captain remains strong – ten wins and four defeats in completed matches – but that will bring scant comfort once the tournament reviews are written.
“It’s unfortunate that we didn’t get through – but that’s cricket,” he said after Rockets progressed. “We’ve had an unbelievable season. This comp’s been so much fun, playing with some really good lads and alongside Fred [head coach Andrew Flintoff] who is an absolute legend, so I’ve had a lot of fun.”
The numbers back up his positivity. Superchargers posted 160 or more in five of their seven completed innings, and conceded under eight an over in the powerplay across the competition. Their variety bowling – pace off from Topley, leg-spin from Adil Rashid, cutters from Brydon Carse – created pressure, while Crawley’s up-top tempo and Cox’s finishing ensured totals were defendable. It is a template Brook sees translating to international cricket.
Analytically, England’s top order in ODIs is crowded, yet not immovable. Phil Salt and Will Jacks have seized opportunities, but spots beneath them remain fluid. In T20Is, the selectors continue to explore middle-order finishers after Moeen Ali and Liam Livingstone, particularly left-right combinations that can target match-ups at the death. Crawley’s powerplay dominance and Cox’s flexibility keep them both relevant.
In pure selection terms, England could revisit their squads if injury strikes over the next fortnight. More realistically, the pair may eye December’s tour of the West Indies, where rotating players after a heavy year is likely. Run-scoring in The Hundred is no guarantee of an England shirt, though repeating those numbers across county 50-over cricket and the T20 Blast would strengthen the case.
For now, Brook’s focus swings back to national duty. A squad gathering in Leeds on Monday morning offers little breathing space, yet the captain seems content enough with the treadmill.
“I’ve been lucky to manage my time. We knew this block was busy; we planned for it. The weather’s done me half a favour tonight – I’ll head home, pack another kit bag and crack on.”
Within that short journey from Headingley to England training, Crawley and Cox may slip his mind. But their runs this summer have not gone unnoticed, and Brook’s public backing carries weight in the selection room. Whether that translates to autumn or winter caps depends on consistency, luck, and England’s ever-shifting white-ball strategy – a reality both players, and Brook himself, understand only too well.
