{"id":263621,"date":"2026-09-20T17:11:16","date_gmt":"2026-09-20T17:11:16","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/sports.runfyers.com\/index.php\/2026\/09\/20\/mccullum-hails-brooks-captaincy-as-england-move-top-of-t20-world-rankings\/"},"modified":"2026-09-20T17:11:16","modified_gmt":"2026-09-20T17:11:16","slug":"mccullum-hails-brooks-captaincy-as-england-move-top-of-t20-world-rankings","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/sports.runfyers.com\/index.php\/2026\/09\/20\/mccullum-hails-brooks-captaincy-as-england-move-top-of-t20-world-rankings\/","title":{"rendered":"McCullum hails Brook\u2019s captaincy as England move top of T20 world rankings"},"content":{"rendered":"

<\/p>\n

\n

England\u2019s white-ball coach, Brendon McCullum, was full of praise for the captain, Harry Brook, after Saturday\u2019s eight-wicket victory<\/a> over Sri Lanka completed a T20 series whitewash and took the side to No 1 in the world.<\/p>\n

Brook, player of the T20 series against Sri Lanka, has now won 23 of his 26 completed games as captain. If he is not yet considered a suitable candidate as Test leader, the cap fits nicely in the smash and grab format.<\/p>\n

<\/figure>\n

\u201cHe\u2019s grown not just as captain, but as a person as well,\u201d said McCullum. \u201cHe seems very comfortable now as a leader of this side and the guys follow him, they trust him. Obviously his batting\u2019s been on a different planet when it comes to T20 cricket, but I think his ability to do things differently based on what\u2019s required with the conditions, and also against the opposition, has been probably the most impressive element.<\/p>\n

\u201cTwenty20 is such an inconsistent game, so you can never take your eye off what you\u2019re trying to achieve, but over the last 18 months or so we\u2019ve found a nice level of consistency. We are not the finished article as yet, but the work we\u2019ve done on the environment and the setup, and the depth that we\u2019ve got in our side now is certainly encouraging.\u201d<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n
\n
\nQuick Guide<\/span><\/p>\n

Middlesex win One-Day Cup to end white-ball wait<\/h4>\n

<\/svg><\/span>Show<\/span><\/span><\/summary>\n

<\/p>\n
\n

Ryan Higgins [pictured] made a fine 100 and then took the key catch to dismiss fellow centurion Nick Kelly as Middlesex beat Leicestershire by 31 runs to win the Metro Bank One-Day Cup final at Trent Bridge.<\/p>\n

Higgins\u2019 first List A century and a 135-run sixth wicket partnership with Harry Duke (55) had earlier helped turn Middlesex\u2019s innings around from 71 for five to 231 all out. After Leicestershire slipped to 79 for five, Kelly dug in with a determined 103 of his own.<\/p>\n

Once Kelly had been caught by Higgins at mid-wicket off Tom Helm with nine overs left, Middlesex picked up the final two Leicestershire wickets to secure a first trophy since their 2016 Championship triumph, and first men’s white-ball trophy since winning the Twenty20 Cup in 2008.<\/p>\n

Higgins was out for 100, which came from 114 balls, and included nine fours, at the start of Middlesex\u2019s 49th over, caught by Kelly when trying to go over long-on off Ian Holland. Leicestershire wicketkeeper Ben Cox took five consecutive catches while Holland claimed five for 36 and Rehan Ahmed three for 55.<\/p>\n

After the Leicestershire captain, Stephen Eskinazi (12), was out at the start of the sixth over, the Foxes continued to lose wickets as Toby Roland-Jones took three for 27 in his 10-over spell. Kelly then steadied the innings alongside Holland to push Leicestershire\u2019s reply on to 110 at the halfway stage.<\/p>\n

The partnership was finally broken in the 29th over when Holland (15) was stumped off Zafar Gohar. Kelly brought up his century at the start of the 41st over, coming off 103 balls with 10 fours and three sixes before his resistance was finally broken. PA Media<\/b> <\/p>\n<\/div>\n

<\/svg>Photograph: Mike Egerton\/PA<\/div>\n<\/div>\n
\n

Thank you for your feedback.<\/p>\n<\/footer>\n<\/details>\n<\/div>\n

<\/gu-island><\/figure>\n

Alongside his relationship with Brook, there is a new guy in town to manage \u2013 McCullum\u2019s old buddy and the new Test coach, Stephen \u00adFleming, who was also at Old Trafford on Saturday.<\/p>\n

\u201cFlem and I are great mates,\u201d said McCullum. \u201cHe was my captain coming through and the great thing about him is he always made you feel like his equal. Our relationship is brilliant and fundamentally we both just want what is right for English cricket and will do whatever we can across the formats to make cricket as good as we can in the time that we\u2019re here. I think our relationship is a real strength, we talk regularly regardless of these jobs.\u201d<\/p>\n

<\/svg><\/span>Harry Brook flicks a shot away en route to his 33-run tally against Sri Lanka on Saturday.<\/span> Photograph: Roger Evans\/Action Plus\/Shutterstock<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

And he was confident that their relationship would ensure there was no conflict when there is a clash between Test and white-ball commitments. McCullum even drew Fleming into the England huddle before Saturday\u2019s game. \u201cHe was a bit reluctant but it\u2019s brilliant to have him around. He\u2019s one of the most successful T20 coaches in the world, so it is quite handy to have him run his eye over the environment.\u201d<\/p>\n

skip past newsletter promotion<\/a><\/p>\n
\n
\n
\n