Cook: We must work bloody hard on our games

Cricket365
December 9, 2013

Captain Alastair Cook has demanded a prompt turnaround, after England slumped to a heavy 218-run defeat on day five of the second Ashes Test at the Adelaide Oval on Monday.

All out for 172 and 312 in response to Australia's twin declarations of 570 for nine and 132 for three, the visitors slipped to a two-nil deficit in the five-match series.

The third fixture, which will get underway at the Western Australian Cricket Ground in Perth on Friday, however, will present an opportunity to earny a semblance of redemption.

"We've had a big hit and if we believe that the Ashes are gone, they might as well be gone. We've had two tough games and we haven't played well. That's the simple deal," said Cook.

"We have to dust ourselves off and do what we can do, which is work bloody hard on our games and come out to Perth on Friday with that belief that we can do something. We need to put some pressure back on Australia."

Fast bowler Mitchell Johnson, who secured a telling nine wickets in the series opener, was again at the fore of the opposition's capitulation in Adelaide. The left-armer clinched a seven-for in the first innings and added an eighth victim in the second, dismissing opener Cook twice.

"I don't know what's quite gone on these couple of games. We feel we're doing the right things but at the moment our skills in the middle are letting us down. We're not scoring enough runs, we're not taking our chances," added Cook.

"The only people who can change that are the 16, 17 players in the dressing room. I've got to step up as a batter and score more runs. Everyone has to. You always start asking questions about the side when you lose a couple of games. It happens in every sport.

"What we do know is that side has got a lot of talent, a lot of skill and has proven that over a long period of time. We have to hold on to that. We are very good players in that dressing room, but you can only say that for so long and we have to start delivering."

An impressive performance from batsman Joe Root, who was promoted to number three in the order after the experienced Jonathan Trott left the tour due to a stress-related illness afforded Cook some consolation. Root scored a steely 87 on day four.

"When you lose a guy with that experience and that class, that kind of experience is very hard to replace. Having said that, Root played very well. Little things like that we have to draw on," concluded Cook.

The third Test will get underway at the Western Australia Cricket Ground in Perth on Friday.