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Michael Vaughan urges England captain Harry Brook to deliver in big games

Brook made a stunning hundred in Sri Lanka last month to lead England to an ODI series success before their 3-0 win in the T20s.

By contributor David Charlesworth, Press Association Cricket Reporter, Kandy
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Supporting image for story: Michael Vaughan urges England captain Harry Brook to deliver in big games
Harry Brook has been encouraged to stand up and be counted for the rest of the T20 World Cup (Bikas Das/AP)

Michael Vaughan described Harry Brook as a “genius” but urged England’s white-ball captain to perform when it matters most.

Brook has never made an Ashes century in 10 Tests and underwhelmed in Australia this winter, despite a lofty reputation, having made a staggering 10 tons in his 25 matches against other teams.

His Wellington fracas and the saga that followed did not distract him as he made a stunning hundred in Sri Lanka last month to lead England to an ODI series success before their 3-0 win in the T20s.

Michael Vaughan in his role as a pundit
Michael Vaughan captained England to glory in the 2005 Ashes (Robbie Stephenson/PA)

The Yorkshireman started the T20 World Cup with a fifty against Nepal but has failed to reach 20 in his last three knocks and Vaughan believes Brook now needs to deliver in the next couple of weeks.

“That innings he played in Sri Lanka, he’s just got a genius in him,” England’s Ashes 2005-winning captain said on The Overlap and Betfair’s Stick to Cricket show.

“The one thing I say about Harry Brook, if you look at his career so far, he’s played some incredible knocks, but it’s been away from what I call the showcase.

“The showcase in cricket for me is an Ashes series. Have you done it in a big Ashes series when it really matters? Harry Brook is yet to have done that.

“Harry hasn’t played many World Cups, but this is his moment. These next two weeks, the Super 8s, go and deliver an 80 or 100 in a big, big game.”

Joe Root celebrates making a Test hundred in Sydney
The absence of Joe Root, pictured, at the T20 World Cup has puzzled Vaughan (Robbie Stephenson/PA)

England have underwhelmed in reaching the Super 8s, having overcome major scares to beat Associate sides Nepal, Scotland and Italy but losing to the only Test side they faced, the West Indies.

England’s opponents in the second group stage have been confirmed as tournament co-hosts Sri Lanka, Pakistan and New Zealand. They play against Sri Lanka and Pakistan in Pallekele on Sunday and Tuesday respectively before taking on the Black Caps in Colombo on February 27.

Vaughan thinks the decision to overlook Joe Root, England’s most prolific run-scorer ever, is a big mistake, given the Yorkshireman’s proficiency against spin on wearing Asian pitches.

“Joe Root is who I think England are missing in this tournament,” Vaughan added.

“I know there has been a couple of big scores but the 170-180s are going to be the scores that are going to win games of cricket and Joe Root is that style of player. I’m staggered that he isn’t there.”

England have been given a boost ahead of Sunday’s clash against Sri Lanka in Pallekele as Matheesha Pathirana has been ruled out of the rest of the tournament with a muscle strain in his left leg.

The paceman took five wickets in three T20s against England recently but limped out of his first over in Monday’s eight-wicket win over Australia. He has been replaced by left-armer Dilshan Madushanka.