Cook: Match will be contested at full tilt
England captain Alastair Cook says the second ODI against Sri Lanka in Colombo will be played in honour of deceased Australia batsman Phillip Hughes, and it will be played at full intensity.
Cook rejected the idea of playing a softer game, without bouncers and such, given the way Hughes died, saying that they would play the match in the correct manner, which would be a better tribute to Hughes.
The skipper said ahead of Saturday's game: "Naturally tomorrow it may be different. Both sides agreed that, out of respect for Phillip, the game should go ahead, and also show our respects in the right way.
"This is a tragic accident but we shouldn't change the way that cricket is played. That's not the right way to go about it. We will go about it in the same way tomorrow.
"Competitive sports needs that balance. We should show our respect at the start and then play the game in his honour."
Cook added that he'd not be changing his approach to batting, and said he couldn't afford to be afraid: "It's a reminder how dangerous it can be. Thankfully, it doesn't happen very often.
"But I won't change the way I play. It's a natural thing. You can't have those doubts in the back of your mind because you won't play well."
When asked about the safety aspect, Cook said the game was at an all-time high in terms of protection, and that helmet manufacturers were on the cutting edge.
He said: "The manufacturers and authorities should try to make cricket as safe as we can, improve player safety, and there have been major improvements just in the time I've been a player. Especially helmets."
Sri Lanka lead the series one-nil after their 25-run win in the opening game.
Latest
-
NewsNottinghamshire in control against Essex as 15 wickets fall at Trent Bridge
James Anderson removed Marnus Labuschagne cheaply.
-
NewsEngland could stage remaining IPL games in September as counties contact ECB
It is believed the matches could be wrapped up in little over a fortnight if a model of two games a day and three on weekends was adopted.
-
NewsOn This Day in 1988 – Worcestershire’s Graeme Hick scores 405 in single innings
Hick set a 20th-century County Championship record six years before Brian Lara broke it with his 501 not out for Warwickshire.
-
NewsJofra Archer shows flashes of top form on return from injury
Archer continued his return to action in a Second XI County Championship match at Hove.
-
NewsChris Jordan says suspending IPL ‘the right call’ as he awaits return to England
There has already been plenty of debate over whether the tournament should have continued as long as it did during a public health emergency.
-
NewsOn this day in 2011: Alastair Cook was named as England’s new ODI captain
Cook replaced Andrew Strauss, who retired from one-day cricket, while Broad took over from Paul Collingwood.
-
NewsFormer Australian Test cricketer victim of targeted kidnapping, police say
MacGill played 44 Tests for Australia and took 208 wickets.
-
NewsEngland contigent start to return home after IPL postponed due to coronavirus
The majority of England’s players at the tournament are expected to fly home imminently.
-
NewsEnglish contingent aiming to secure flights home with IPL postponed due to Covid
Positive cases in three of the eight franchises effectively proved that the players’ bio-secure bubbles were no longer able to stave off the threat.
-
NewsQ&A: What’s happened to this year’s IPL and what does it all mean?
There are 11 English representatives still involved.