Related News
Cook wants to remain captain
Print Edition
Under-fire Alastair Cook says he wants to carry on as England captain but if the selectors think there is a better man for the job then he would take it on the chin.
England is on the brink of a humiliating series whitewash after Australia cruised to an eight-wicket victory in the fourth Ashes Test in Melbourne yesterday with a day to spare.
Somehow the demoralized tourists, who gave up the Ashes in 14 playing days, have to find a way to stop the Australian juggernaut in this week’s final Sydney Test from repeating the 0-5 rout of the 2006-07 series Down Under.
Cook’s position is under scrutiny given England’s woeful series, and he ratcheted up the pressure by dropping two crucial catches in the first half-hour of yesterday’s play which could have put the Australians under pressure.
It has been a dramatic turnaround from England’s last tour in Australia in 2010-11 when Cook amassed 766 runs at 127.66. Three years later he has scored 232 runs in eight innings at 29.00.
But Cook insists he wants to continue as captain, leaving the call on his post-Ashes future to the England selectors.
“I’m totally responsible as captain for the team and if, at the end of the series, the selectors decide I’m not the best man for the job, then so be it,” Cook said. “It would hurt and I’ve got no plans of going anywhere. I’m desperately trying to use as much of my experience of playing 100 Tests to help turn this team around.
“I know that it starts with a lot of hard work and it starts with a performance or two that we jump on the back of.
“I’m 100 percent wanting to carry on. If someone makes that decision, and says ‘We think there’s a better man’ or ‘You’re not good enough to do it’, then I have to take that on the chin because as a captain, you’re responsible for the team.”
Cook was in the England team that was crushed 0-5 by Australia seven years ago and may face a repeat performance in Sydney in the final test starting on Friday. “It’s quite a long time ago now. I think this one obviously, because it’s in the present, hurts quite a lot, especially as I’m captain as well, it probably hurts even more,” he said.
- About Us
- |
- Terms of Use
- |
-
RSS - |
- Privacy Policy
- |
- Contact Us
- |
- Shanghai Call Center: 962288
- |
- Tip-off hotline: 52920043
- 沪ICP证：沪ICP备05050403号-1
- |
- 互联网新闻信息服务许可证：31120180004
- |
- 网络视听许可证：0909346
- |
- 广播电视节目制作许可证：沪字第354号
- |
- 增值电信业务经营许可证：沪B2-20120012
Copyright © 1999- Shanghai Daily. All rights reserved.Preferably viewed with Internet Explorer 8 or newer browsers.
