England’s Brook admits he needs to rein himself in with Ashes on the line

SYDNEY: England batter Harry Brook admits that he might need to curb his aggressive instincts a little bit when the Ashes go on the line in the third Test in Adelaide this week.

Coach Brendon McCullum insisted on Sunday that England’s aggressive style of batting will not change despite heavy defeats in the first two Tests.

Brook, who has contributed 98 runs to England’s cause over four innings so far, conceded two of his dismissals in Perth and Brisbane were the result of “shocking shots” that he would reconsider if he had his time again.

“I’ll admit that every day of the week, especially that one in Perth, it’s nearly a bouncer and I’ve tried to drive it. It was just bad batting,” he told reporters on Monday at the Adelaide Oval, where the third Test starts on Wednesday.

“The one in Brisbane, I’ve tried to hit for six so that’s what I mean when I say that I need to rein it in a little bit.

I can almost just take that and hit it for one and get down the other end.

“I’ll be the first person to stand up and say that they were bad shots. I don’t regret them, but if I was there again, I’d try and play it slightly differently.”

With Australia able to clinch the series and retain the Ashes in Adelaide, vice-captain Brook said the England players had discussed trying to “be in the moment” more and not look too far ahead.

Brook paid tribute to the skill and discipline of the Australian bowlers and said the England players also needed to stand up and be counted in crunch moments if they were to avoid going 3-0 down in the five-match series.

“There’s them pressure situations, which we haven’t been really that good at so far,” he conceded.

“When we’re head-to-head, they’ve managed to be the better side and sneak in front. And everybody realises that.

“We’ve just got to stand up in them certain situations, read the game slightly better (and) just have a little bit of grit and determination about you.”

As England’s star batter, Brook has come in for criticism after the two Test losses but the 26-year-old said he was concentrating only on trying to score runs.

“I don’t read any of them criticisms, I just try and crack on with my game and focus on what I’m trying to do,” he said.

“These are the moments that you want to turn up in, and you want to be the man that takes the game away from them and puts them in a tough position.

“So hopefully I can turn up, stick to my processes and stay in the moment as much as possible. And what will be will be.”