ASHES COMEBACK IS OFF

them since the retirement of Andrew Strauss and there are now just six months to go before the opening clash with Australia at Edgbaston.

But Sir Alastair, 34, England’s record Test run-scorer, said: “No-one will lure me back to playing Test cricket. I won’t be coming back that’s for sure. Everyone says you must be missing it. Yes I am missing parts of it, the camaraderie in the changing room and being around the camp.

“But I had my time and it’s gone. I had my perfect send-off at The Oval.

“The England top order isn’t what is used to be a few years ago when we had a settled side, we were No.1 in the world and I opened with Andrew.

“Jonathan Trott came in at No.3,

ALASTAIR COOK has told the England selectors they would be wasting their time trying to coax him into a dramatic Ashes return. England bosses are under increasing pressure to find an answer to their opening batsmen nightmare after the dismal series loss to the West Indies.The problem has haunted BIGG ROLE: Dan Biggar notches a penalty in Rome