Cook ‘not finished’
ENGLAND batting coach Graham Thorpe has jumped to the defence of former captain Alastair Cook after yet another poor display in New Zealand.
England’s all-time leading run scorer was out again cheaply as he finished the series with just 23 runs.
England were at least able to salvage something and led New Zealand by 231 runs as they reached stumps on 202-3 in their second innings.
But Cook’s average in this series of 5.75 is the lowest he has returned in the 45 he has played across his 12-year Test career.
He has also now fallen four times to Trent Boult in as many innings, his latest coming from another tentative prod outside off stump for just 14.
At 33, Cook’s powers appear to be on the wane.
“You can clearly see the hunger is still there,” said Thorpe. “He’s disappointed with this series but around the group he’s still chipper.
“It’s very important you try and remain upbeat. Of course I’m sure deep inside he will be disappointed he is not contributing. But I do see a guy still hungry. I’m sure Alastair will want to stand up when the summer comes around.”
Mark Stoneman and James Vince fared better with gutsy halfcenturies.
Vince had been dropped for the first Test in Auckland last week and needed a significant score following his underwhelming first-innings 18.
He got it, making 76 after coming to the crease with the match in the balance.
Stoneman, too, needed runs after a difficult start to his England career. This innings of 60 was his best in the 10 Tests he has played since making his debut last summer.
He looked far from comfortable, being dropped on 48 and 57.
The tourists need some of their lesser lights to step up so they do not have to make wholesale changes before the two-Test series against Pakistan begins at Lord’s on May 24.
At least Stoneman and Vince have done that here and Thorpe hopes the pair can establish themselves. “They’re in charge of their destiny every time they walk to the crease with an England shirt on,” he said.
“They’re in a position to keep pushing on – ultimately it’s up to them to be able to take that next step and go beyond their career-best scores and into three figures.
“I’m sure both would have loved to have got hundreds and gone on for their own confidence. But they’ll still get a good pat off us in the dressing room because it’s easy to shrink at this level. It’s important they both stood up.
“There are areas of the Test side where you’re not going to say everyone is guaranteed their places.
“You have to look at your squad and think, ‘Are there better players out there, or do we have to keep working hard and be patient?’
“The more you learn, you get over those hurdles and start to feel very settled. We’re hoping a few of them are close to that.”