Flower: Cook's strong leadership key
Coach Andy Flower has lauded captain Alastair Cook's outstanding performance, after the English sealed a historic series triumph over Australia at The Oval in London on Sunday.
Coach Andy Flower has lauded captain Alastair Cook's outstanding performance, after the English sealed a historic series triumph over Australia at The Oval in London on Sunday.
While the finale ended in a draw, a 14-run win at Trent Bridge, 347-run victory at Lord's, 74-run success at Chester-le-Street and rain-affected stalemate at Old Trafford allowed the hosts a three-nil result.
Cook was substandard as an opening batsman, scoring just 277 runs in 10 innings, but his leadership was impressive – after taking the reins from former skipper Andrew Strauss last year.
"I think Cook's strong leadership was a key. The players need to trust and respect their leader. He is a man they all look up to and he has a certain conviction and inner strength that will serve English cricket well," said Flower.
"The strength that individuals have shown in pressure moments has been important. We must be better players by the time we take them on in November. We've got to enjoy the moment and don't look too far ahead. We have to really enjoy the evening."
Limited-overs coach Ashley Giles and T20I captain Stuart Broad will soon take over from Flower and Cook respectively, for two Twenty20 Internationals and five ODIs against the same opposition.
Latest
-
NewsJack Leach awaiting Covid vaccine news after ‘scary’ vulnerable classification
The England spinner takes medication for Crohn’s disease, leaving his immune system weakened.
-
NewsJonny Bairstow ready to tap into Jacques Kallis class during Sri Lanka tour
The England batsman is enthused about working with the Proteas great.
-
NewsHeather Knight to lead England in ‘historic’ Pakistan tour
England Women will play two T20s and three ODIs in Karachi later this year.
-
NewsClaire Polosak makes history as first woman to officiate a men’s Test
Claire Polosak continues to blaze a trail for women in umpiring.
-
NewsPooran insists West Indies will be a T20 World Cup threat
You would be foolish to discount the West Indies in the short format despite their poor run of late.
-
NewsAndrew Balbirnie excited about Ireland’s year ahead
Ireland will play seven internationals in January, the same as the whole of 2020.
-
NewsZak Crawley out to prove he is no ‘one-hit wonder’ in Sri Lanka
The Kent batsman, 22, hit a magnificent 267 against Pakistan on his previous England appearance in August.
-
NewsEngland clear to train as players other than Moeen Ali test negative for Covid
Moeen tested positive on Monday and is self-isolating, but the latest round of testing produced no further positives.
-
NewsEngland clear to start training after players test negative for Covid-19
Moeen Ali tested positive on Monday and is self-isolating, but the latest round of testing produced no further positives.
-
NewsEngland hope for clean bill of health ahead of their Test series in Sri Lanka
The travelling party were retested for coronavirus at their team base in Hambantota.