Cook eyes flood of runs in Australia

A LA STAIR COOK knows he, Joe Root and Jonathan Trott must score more runs this winter if England are to create cricket history by winning the Ashes for a fourth successive time.

Captain Cook and his England team-mates flew out to Australia last night with memories of their recent series win still fresh in their minds.

England beat the visitors 3-0 this summer, but they failed to pass 400 once.

The hosts mainly relied on Ian Bell for big scores. Root was the only batsman in the top three to make a century while Cook and Trott posted poor averages in comparison to their usual high standards.

The last time England managed to win four series in a row against the Australians came in 1890, and Cook concedes his team must build big scores to achieve that feat.

“I think 3-0 was a pretty good result, I would love to do that again, but clearly top order runs out in Australia are vitally important,” Cook said at Heathrow Airport.

“We saw that was the case last time we went there. We saw how big runs made a massive difference and set the game up.

“Sometimes in England 240 or 250 can be good scores with the overhead conditions, but the majority of the time 400 in Australia is the bare minimum.

“It is the job of the top order to make sure we do that.”

England play the first of three warm-up games on October 31 against Western Australia, with the first Test due to start three weeks later at The Gabba in Brisbane.

Kevin Pietersen joins up with the squad on Sunday after being granted compassionate leave following the death of a friend.

Getty. Alastair Cook.