Brook Urges Crawley and Cox to Push for England White-Ball Spots After Impressive Hundred Campaigns
England white-ball captain Harry Brook has challenged Zak Crawley and Jordan Cox to build on their standout performances in The Hundred and push for regular spots in England’s limited-overs squads.
Brook, who captained the Northern Superchargers to their first-ever knockout appearance in the men's Hundred, praised the form of both batters following their prolific campaigns. However, Superchargers’ hopes of reaching the final were dashed when their Eliminator against Trent Rockets was abandoned due to rain, allowing the Rockets to advance based on a higher group-stage finish.
Despite the disappointment, Brook remained positive and turned his attention to England’s upcoming white-ball series against South Africa, starting with an ODI at Headingley on Tuesday. Brook took over as England’s white-ball captain from Jos Buttler in April and will lead the team through three ODIs and three T20Is in the coming weeks.
Speaking after the washout, Brook was full of praise for Crawley, who scored 280 runs this season — the third-highest total ahead of the final — and for Cox, who topped the run charts with 327.
“Everybody’s in the mix: whoever does well,” Brook said. “Zak has all the attributes to play white-ball cricket for England. He puts pressure on bowlers, manipulates the field well, and is strong against both pace and spin. It’s the same with Cox — he’s an unbelievable player.”
While Crawley has established himself in England’s Test team with 59 caps, his white-ball appearances remain limited, having last played an ODI in December 2023 and still uncapped in T20Is. Cox, on the other hand, has five international white-ball appearances but was overlooked for the upcoming Ireland T20I series, where several senior players, including Brook, have been rested.
Brook, who helped secure Crawley’s £120,000 signing in the March draft, said consistent performances over time would be key for both players to break into England’s squads.
“You’ve just got to keep on doing it, and be as consistent as you can for a long period of time,” he added. “It’s good to have competition for places.”
Brook also reflected on a busy summer with little rest since May but said he had carefully managed his workload during The Hundred.
“England cricket gets my priority,” he reiterated. “I’ve been trying my best to stay as fresh as I can for England.”
Though frustrated by the Superchargers' exit, Brook was proud of the team’s performance and enjoyed his experience under head coach Andrew Flintoff.
“We’ve had an unbelievable season,” Brook said. “It’s unfortunate we didn’t get through — but that’s cricket. Playing with these lads and alongside Fred, who is an absolute legend, has been a lot of fun.”
Top Performers in The Hundred (Men’s, 2025 – before final):
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Jordan Cox – 327 runs
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Jos Buttler – 283 runs
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Zak Crawley – 280 runs