Harry Brook admitted England’s batters went into their shells when confronted with spin as they began their winter and the one-day worldwide tri-series in Pakistan with a heavy defeat.
Arafat Minhas walked to the crease with Pakistan on 133 for 5 however his 59 off 58 balls lifted the hosts to 302 for 9, earlier than the left-arm spinner took a career-best six wickets for 40 runs as England capitulated with the bat.
Openers Tom Banton and Ben Duckett placed on 91 however England misplaced their manner thereafter, with Arafat making inroads and off-spinner Saim Ayub in a containing function because the vacationers have been all out for 215 inside 39 overs to lose by 87 runs.
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Foot off the fuel
Kevin Pietersen final month gave England a spin masterclass in his new function as specialist mentor, extolling the virtues of rotating the strike, however Brook believes he and his team-mates took their foot off the fuel an excessive amount of after Banton and Duckett had laid the foundations for the chase.
“On the midway stage, we have been fairly completely satisfied,” England’s white-ball captain mentioned.
“I assumed we stored them to only beneath par and we executed our plans exceptionally properly and sadly we didn’t handle to get it fairly proper with the bat.
“The story of the innings was not sufficient partnerships and dropping wickets in clumps.
“We didn’t handle to place their bowlers beneath sufficient strain to make them miss and that’s one thing we’ll speak about.
“I in all probability might have hit the ball just a little bit tougher, however I believe that was all through.
“We’ve been talking loads about rotation of strike towards spin by way of the center overs however we might nonetheless be placing bowlers beneath strain and hit boundaries as properly.”
Standout performer
Arafat was enjoying in simply his fifth ODI and though his first wicket was all the way down to luck because the in-form Banton picked out midwicket for 57, the 21-year-old claimed the large scalp of Brook with a supply that gripped and turned previous the surface edge to fort the Yorkshireman.
Arafat then took out England’s decrease order with 4 extra wickets, earlier than concluding proceedings with a direct hit run-out to provide Pakistan a second win in a row after seeing off Sri Lanka on the weekend.
Brook mentioned: “He’s a pleasant bowler, he bowled very properly. I assumed they fielded exceptionally properly.
“We’ve all seen movies of him however clearly we haven’t performed towards him a lot – however he was the standout performer by a mile.”
Trying to bounce again
England, who face Sri Lanka on the identical venue on Thursday, have received all three ODI collection this yr after dropping six of seven bilateral collection earlier than that.
Whereas circumstances might be totally different for the 50-over World Cup in southern Africa in 12 months’ time, Brook welcomed the check England confronted from Pakistan, who dug themselves out of bother greater than as soon as.
“Positively, and we’re undoubtedly that aspect as properly,” Brook added. “We received’t go down with no combat and we’ll at all times be there or thereabouts.
“It looks like that’s probably the most convincing loss we’ve had since final yr someday.
“It’s an excellent check in a method however we’ve bought tonight and tomorrow to speak about it and prepare for Sri Lanka on Thursday.”
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