Oro World Cup
What he said is not particularly helpful, especially from a so-called friend. He is entitled to his opinion but I am going to be the captain at the World Cup and we have a good chance there.
Alistair Cook an unorthodox technique. I do not think it changes my role. I still have to strike as well, I cannot let Alex do all of the scoring.
‘‘Since I came back into the side my strike rate is over 80. I have to continue that, but also convert starts into scores. When we beat Pakistan, we scored four hundreds, which is what won us the games.’’
Cook scored two of those hundreds, Kevin Pietersen the others, but the pair never opened the batting again. From then until now, it has been Cook and Ian Bell together, and the captain still sees that combination as viable for the World Cup if Hales proves unable to reproduce the commanding performances he has shown in Twenty20.
Events at two grounds roughly 8000km apart in the middle of the week just gone underlined why Swann is so pessimistic about England’s World Cup prospects.
In Harare, South Africa chased 328 to beat Australia, among the early favourites for the tournament. Meanwhile, in Cardiff, Cook’s team fell half a world short of a target 33 runs lower in the second ODI against India. Hales and Cook began smartly enough, only for England to lose all 10 wickets in 27.4 overs for 107 runs.
After the match, Cook let leash on Swann, a player who was a teammate this time last year and whose comments have angered him.
‘‘I do not think what was said was particularly helpful, especially from a so-called friend,’’ Cook said. ‘‘He is entitled to his opinions on it, but it was not ideal for me, especially after getting through the summer I have had. I am going to be the captain at the World Cup and we have a good chance even though this has not been a good day.’’
Of the side who won the last three tests against India, only Sam Robson and the injured Stuart Broad are not in the present squad. Cook emphasised that the likes of Gary Ballance and Ali have ‘‘done it on the international stage’’.
‘‘The World Cup squad has not been picked and a lot can change, but we want to make sure we get a settled side,’’ he said.