Latest news with #Burley-in-Wharfedale
Yahoo
28-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
The making of Harry Brook: ‘We had to replace our nets — he'd worn the old ones out'
When Harry Brook pulled off his wonder catch in England's first Test of the summer, Ben Stokes was left open-mouthed in amazement. It's not the first time England's new one-day skipper has elicited that kind of response. 'It was October, dark and pouring down with rain – you always stop to see what's going on and I could see this silhouette running up and down the pitch, stopping for some star jumps, press-ups and then carrying on again,' says Dave Cooper, director of cricket at Burley-in-Wharfedale. 'It was a 14-year-old Harry Brook. He had been told he wasn't fit enough – how many people of that age choose to go out and do something about it, particularly in the Yorkshire winter! It's what sets him apart.' Advertisement Last month Brook returned to the club to formally open the club's new net facility. 'We had to replace them - he had worn the other ones out,' laughs Cooper. Harry Brook's drive to get better was evident from an early age (Getty Images) It was more than just a ribbon-cutting exercise, though. Brook's links to the Airedale & Wharfedale Senior Cricket League Premier Division side are lengthy and enduring. 'He phoned me up in April and said 'Coops, I want a net with a bowling machine, could you cut me a strip on the square?',' says Cooper. 'So, at 7.30am on the Saturday morning, we were looking on the Bradford Council website to check out their noise abatement policy to see what time we could have a roller going. Turns out it was 7am, so if anyone had complained we were within the rules!' Advertisement The noise surrounding the unassuming Yorkshireman hasn't shown any sign of quietening since he made his county debut while still at school in June 2016. Now, less than a decade on, the 26-year-old will lead England out for the opening match of their white ball series against West Indies at Edgbaston on Thursday. Like England's Test captain, Ben Stokes, Brooks isn't a man with an enormous amount of captaincy experience. But that's not to say that this is a man who doesn't understand the intricacies of leadership and tactics. 'I ran the West Yorkshire team for 13 years and at various points, Harry was in my squad,' says Cooper. 'Did I ever make him captain? No, but that's not to say that he couldn't have done a very good job. 'I think his first experience of captaincy was with England under-19s, but Harry is from a cricketing family. His dad [David] was a top player and you'll have heard that story of when he got that triple hundred for England against Pakistan in Multan, his main aim was to get past 210, which was his dad's top score in a league match for Burnley in 2001. At one stage, Harry wasn't even the highest run scorer in his own family! Harry Brook scored a triple century in Multan - but was more obsessed with passing his father's best tally of 210 (Getty Images) 'If you go into the club house, where there are now two of his England shirts in glass cases, you'll also see the captains board and there's Tony Brook his grandad, who was captain in the '70s and then his uncle, Richard, who was captain for 13 years on the trot and his other uncle, Nick, who was captain of the club for two or three years as well. Advertisement 'You can imagine the conversations around the tea table. I remember Tony being very vociferous in his criticism of England's captaincy, spitting feathers over a lack of a short leg or a bowling change. Harry would have been sat on the sofa as a kid listening to this. You pick things like that up, absorbing information and seeing the game at a higher level because of his family's links with the sport.' Few could have imagined that young Harry would one day land one of English cricket's most prestigious jobs. Although Martin Speight, head of cricket at Sedbergh School during Brook's time there on a scholarship, did have an inkling that here was a teenager with a special talent. Harry Brook spent his teenage years at Sedbergh School (Getty Images) 'He came to us at the age of 14 and you could see that he had something,' says Speight. 'I said to our head of hockey, Mark Shopland, that Harry was going to the top. So, he put £100 on him playing for England at odds of 100-1. I wish I had too.' Advertisement While Speight honed the finer points of his batting technique, the teenage Brook spent hours working on his fitness. During his time there he took part in the fabled Wilson run, a 10-mile killer across the fells of Cumbria. 'He had broken his hand on an England under-19 tour of India but he still insisted on doing it,' says Speight. 'I think he ended up completing it in something like one hour 40 minutes, which trust me is a brilliant effort.' The irony of Brook's time at the school was that after a series of near-misses in national finals with him in the side, Sedbergh eventually won it in 2018, Brook was absent. Harry Brook was in the Yorkshire first team as a teenager (Getty Images) 'He was playing for Yorkshire,' laughs Speight. This white ball series against the West Indies will be Brook's first challenge on the road to the 2027 World Cup. After putting in the hard yards in the rain and wind of a Yorkshire village, England will hope his brand of captaincy will be a breath of fresh air.
The Independent
07-04-2025
- Sport
- The Independent
‘Excellent cricketing brain' Harry Brook named England white-ball captain
Harry Brook has been installed as England's new white-ball captain, leading both limited-overs sides. The 26-year-old Yorkshireman was the overwhelming favourite from the moment Jos Buttler stood down in the closing stages of a disappointing Champions Trophy campaign in February. By then Brook was already in place as Buttler's deputy and had stood in during an ODI series against Australia last September. Unlike several other potential candidates, he is also an undisputed first-choice pick across all formats. England had considered asking Test captain Ben Stokes to take over in the 50-over format, with director of men's cricket Rob Key floating the idea during a press conference at Lord's last month, but there were serious concerns about adding to the workload of the 33-year-old. He is currently recovering from a second major hamstring tear in the space of six months and should now be able to pour all of his energies into marquee contests against rivals India and Australia. It remains to be seen whether he will be available to Brook in a playing capacity, or who will take up the vice-captaincy. After three successive tournament blow-outs under Buttler, the new man will be building towards improved showings at next year's T20 World Cup and the ODI equivalent in 2027. 'It's a real honour to be named England's white-ball captain. Ever since I was a kid playing cricket at Burley-in-Wharfedale, I dreamed of representing Yorkshire, playing for England, and maybe one day leading the team. To now be given that chance means a great deal to me,' Brook said. 'I want to thank my family and coaches who've supported me every step of the way. Their belief in me has made all the difference and I wouldn't be in this position without them. 'There's so much talent in this country, and I'm looking forward to getting started, moving us forward, and working towards winning series, World Cups and major events. I'm excited to get going and give it everything I've got.' Key welcomed Brook's ascendance, adding: 'I'm delighted that Harry has accepted the role as England's white-ball captain across both formats. 'He's been part of our succession planning for some time, albeit this opportunity has come slightly earlier than expected. 'Harry is not only an outstanding cricketer, but also has an excellent cricketing brain and a clear vision for both teams that will help drive us towards winning more series, World Cups and major global tournaments.' Brook will begin his tenure with a pair of home series against West Indies, starting at Edgbaston on May 29.
