June 22, 2007
Cook gets ODI call
Essex batsman Alastair Cook has earned a recall to the England one-day squad for the upcoming series against the West Indies.
The 22-year-old left-hander made his first two international appearances in limited overs cricket during the NatWest Series against Sri Lanka last summer when he scored 80 runs at an average of 40.
Cook has now been given another opportunity when England take on their Caribbean opponents in the NatWest International Twenty20 series on June 28 and 29 and the NatWest Series from July 1 to July 7.
He has made an outstanding start to the 2007 season with six centuries to his name already, including an eye-catching 125 against Surrey Brown Caps at one-day level in the Friends Provident Trophy at Whitgift School at the start of June.
Essex Captain Ronnie Irani spoke to the Essex CCC website (www.essexcricket.org.uk) of his delight at his young team-mate’s selection:
“This is fantastic news and a deserved reward for his fine form. I’m sure he can do a great job at the top of the order.
“I would personally have liked him to have been picked as Captain (Paul Collingwood was today named as the new England ODI skipper) to allow him to make a natural progression into the role in all forms of the game with England. But first things first it is a great effort to get into the squad and I can see him producing big things in all formats.”
Having featured in the fourth Test against the West Indies at the Riverside Cook will be rested from Essex’s Twenty20 Cup group games on June 22 against Sussex Sharks and June 23 against Kent Spitfires.
