Alastair Cook credits bold 'un-English' batting for country's cricketing revival
Saturday 27 June 2015 13:53, UK
Test captain Alastair Cook admits it was an “un-English” batting attack that was the turning point in the team’s form ahead of the Investec Ashes series.
Cook credits the 161-run partnership between Joe Root and Ben Stokes in the second Test against New Zealand as the catalyst in the country's recovery following a poor showing in the World Cup and a drawn series against West Indies.
“I think it started in the Test matches, if we’re being honest, when we were 30-4 and it was all doom and gloom in that first morning at Lords,” Cook told Sky Sports News HQ.
“But then the way Joe Root and Ben Stokes played, to be 30-4 and then to go counter-attack and score nearly 170, just under six runs an over, which was a very un-English thing to do, and I think everyone looked round and saw that and thought what great positive and aggressive cricket.
“I think from that moment on we went out and tried to showcase our talent, and that partnership to me was the start of the summer and got us off in a good stead.”
Cook has echoed the sentiments of his teammates Jos Buttler and Stuart Broad who have commented on the high spirits within the team, and the captain says the morale stems from a mixture of youth and experience within the squad.
“In England we’ve got some fantastically talented players and some brilliant young players coming through, as well as some slightly older guys who have been there and done it as well, so we’ve got a really good squad of players now.
“There’s a real feel-good factor about English cricket at the moment, one that we haven’t had for 15 or so months.”
On Friday, England leave for a four-day training camp in Spain where the team will focus on fielding and bowling - there will be no batting sessions - and meeting new coach Trevor Bayliss.
The first Investec Ashes Test is live from Cardiff on our dedicated Sky Sports Ashes channel from Wednesday July 8
