David Willey is expecting Harry Brook’s career to continue to soar over the coming months.
Yorkshire’s Vitality Blast captain is currently playing alongside in-form batsman Brook for the Northern Superchargers in the Hundred.
Brook, 22-years-old, is the third leading run-scorer in the Blast for Yorkshire this summer with 483, while his average of 80.83 is the best in the competition.
After two games of the Hundred, Brook is the second leading run-scorer in that event as well with 100, only 28 behind White Rose team-mate Jonny Bairstow (Welsh Fire).
“I think Brooky’s destined for great things,” said Willey.
“He is going to score runs in this comp (Hundred). He’s a brilliant player who hits the ball 360 degrees, as we’ve seen for Yorkshire in the Blast.
“But you are playing in a higher profile tournament with more better players. If you do it again, it’s only going to raise your stocks.
“I really do think he’s a phenomenal player with a tremendous amount of talent.
“How much he has come on in the last 12 months on and off the field, I can only see him going upwards and upwards very sharply.”
Earlier this month when England’s senior squad were ruled out of action due to a Coronavirus outbreak and a new, much younger squad was selected, it was somewhat of a surprise that Brook did not get the call.
On the day of the announcement, he scored a brilliant second-second-innings century in the Championship win over Northamptonshire at Wantage Road.
“It’s tough to get into the England one-day team at the minute, but these franchise tournaments around the world present other opportunities,” said Willey.
“I think they will help improve his game on a very quick upwards trend.
“Not only are people watching all the games because there’s only one a night, you are playing with international players from all around the world.
“He’s going to be learning from them.
“The Hundred is only going to be a trampoline for him.”
Brook and Willey are two of seven Yorkshire players in the Superchargers squad for the ongoing Hundred, three of whom are tasting a franchise league for the first time.
They are Brook, Matthew Fisher and Jordan Thompson.
“It’s their first taste of any different coaches or a different environment,” added Willey.
“From my own experience, when I had that exposure to different players, attitudes and coaches, it’s just a great opportunity to learn. They’re enjoying it.
“Myself included, we can all learn so much from this.”
The Superchargers are back in action today against Manchester Originals at Emirates Old Trafford (6.30pm). Willey will captain the team in the absence of injured South African Francois du Plessis.
The Superchargers women’s match against the Originals was due to start at 3pm but was abandoned.
