England stars need a break, says Broad

STUART Broad believes England’s white-ball team are suffering from “jaded minds” after a packed summer, suggesting both Ben Duckett and Joe Root are in need of a break.

- BY RORY DOLLARD

Two defeats in three days at the hands of South Africa - a rapid-fire hammering at Headingley followed by a five-run defeat at Lord’s - mean England have lost the Metro Bank One-Day International series with a game still to play at Southampton on Sunday.

The hosts have been caught cold, barrelling into the series a matter of hours after the conclusion of The Hundred, which itself followed sharply on the heels of a fiercely contested five-Test tussle against India.

Root, Duckett, captain Harry Brook and Jamie Smith have been ever present during that draining period, while Jofra Archer has also played across all three formats.

They have all been stood down for the T20 trip to Ireland later this month but, with a hotly anticipated Ashes tour just a couple of months away, former England seamer Broad feels that could be overdue.