Cook: Chris can be our new Big Ben
Woakes replaces Stokes as Cook and England look for a knockout!
ENGLAND captain Alastair Cook has backed Chris Woakes to fill the void left by local hero Ben Stokes in Durham after yesterday naming the all-rounder in his team for the second Test.
Woakes, fresh from his ninewicket haul against Durham in the County Championship at Edgbaston this week, will today make his seventh Test appearance after being given the nod to take his place in England’s XI at the Riverside.
However, the 27-year-old has huge shoes to fill in replacing Stokes, whose absence on his home ground with a knee injury is a huge blow to Durham and the thousands of cricket fans in the north-east who bought tickets for this match hoping to see one of their own play.
Despite a bowling average of 63.75 across his six Tests and a poor performance in his last outing against South Africa at Centurion in January, Cook is confident Woakes can finally prove his worth as England seek a win that would seal the series with a game to spare.
“I think Chris is another one of those guys we have not seen the best of in international cricket,” said Cook. “He is that performance away from feeling comfortable and thinking he is good enough.
“There is no doubt in my mind facing him in the nets, bowling for Warwickshire, that his character is really respected.
“There is a lot of good stuff he has going for him and he just needs that performance to make him feel settled in the side and belong in international cricket.
“I have no doubt about that and I am really excited about him playing and he has the next couple of games with Ben out. He can make selection really hard.”
Cook admits England will miss Stokes, who is battling to be fit for the start of the four-Test series against Pakistan in July following surgery on his left knee on Tuesday.
“Certainly a lot of people want to come and watch him play, so he’s going to be a big loss for us,” said Cook. “But injuries are part and parcel of a side and we need to learn how to play without him, and this gives Chris the opportunity to fill that all-rounder role. Moeen Ali goes up a spot to seven and Jonny [Bairstow] as well, so that gives them an opportunity.”
Naming his team on the eve of the game for the second successive game is another sign of the growing confidence that Cook and England, riding the crest of a wave following their innings win at Headingley, possess.
“There is no point trying to avoid it when you know the side,” said Cook. “We have been pretty clear since Ben has been injured and I could not be bothered fending you off on it.”