Cook wants to sign off in style after difficult spell with Durham
South African opener has one last chance to shine when side take on Glamorgan
STEPHEN Cook will be looking to sign off a disappointing stint as Durham’s overseas player in style at home to Glamorgan.
The South African arrived at the Riverside as one of the best openers in Test cricket.
But while his limited-overs form has been very good, he has failed to have the impact he wanted in the County Championship.
His last chance starts tomorrow and with Keaton Jennings unavailable, coach Jon Lewis will be hoping he takes it.
“This is Cooky’s last game before he finishes with us on Thursday,” Lewis confirmed.
“Tom Latham’s already been with us this week. He’s taken a couple of days off around the weekend but he’ll be back next week to prepare for his debut in the Worcestershire game.
“He knows a lot of the guys pretty well having played second-team cricket for us in the past.
“Cooky will want to leave us on a high. He’s a senior player who’s got a wealth of experience so he’s made a good contribution off the field. He’s a calming character.
“He would have liked to have contributed more with the red ball but the fact a quality player like him hasn’t highlights the challenges the top order batsmen in this country face.
“The new Duke balls are hard to face in early-season in England, and the challenge is not to be under-estimated.
“It’s testament to every top-order player who does well in this country.”
With South Africa playing a Test series against England in July and August, 34-year-old Cook was only ever going to play the first half of the campaign.
His struggles against New Zealand in the winter appeared to have carried over and instead of forcing his way back into the Proteas’ line-up for next month’s Lord’s Test, he has left his involvement in doubt. He has only hit one half-century in the Championship, where he averages 20 after six matches.
Cook has scored fewer runs than he did in half as many one-day innings for Durham, averaging more than 45 in the group stages of that competition.
The Riversiders will need to get more out of Cook against Glamorgan because his regular opening partner, Keaton Jennings, is away captaining England Lions against South Africa A.
Jennings returns for the day-night Championship game at home to Worcestershire starting on June 26, but that could be the last his county sees of him for a while with four Tests against South Africa, and three against West Indies to follow.
Latham is not new to North East cricket, having played for Durham’s academy and second XI in 2010 and 2013, as well as appearing for Gateshead Fell and South Shields in the North East Premier League.
The 25-year-old ought to be well acclimatised having toured Ireland with New Zealand in May before the Champions Trophy. That he did not feature in the mini-World Cup ought to provide extra motivation.
“Even though in the Champions Trophy New Zealand went with Luke Ronchi instead of Tom at the top of the order there’s no doubt he’s got a lot of cricket to play for his country in all forms of the game,” said Lewis, Latham’s second-team coach during his previous spells. “He’s keen to go but he’s just going to have to wait for another week.” As well as playing Championship cricket, Latham will also be available for Durham’s Twenty20 campaign, which begins at home to Lancashire on July 7.
The Riversiders were runners-up last year, for the first time in the competition’s history.
Jennings’ absence against Glamorgan will see Cameron Steel step up to open with Jack Burnham – fit again after breaking his thumb – the most likely to fill his spot at No.3.
All-rounders Matthew Potts and James Weighell are in the squad but unlikely to play, particularly with Paul Coughlin available again having been rested for the previous game against Kent at Canterbury amid concerns over his workload.
“Coughlin’s been looking pretty good in training and Burnham’s back in the squad but apart from them there won’t be so many players back,” said Lewis.
“Graham (Onions) needs a bit longer to recover from his back injury and although James’ calf and shin area seems to have settled down he’s not quite ready to return.”