Alastair Cook given another chance in third Test
Alastair Cook will be given another chance to find form as England head into the third Test of the series against Pakistan with an unchanged playing XI.
After two confident wins at Trent Bridge and Nottingham, the ECB have taken the unusual step of releasing the exact line-up for the match, and it’s one that includes the out-of-form opener.
"We were delighted with the way the team performed at Edgbaston in the second Test,” National selector Geoff Miller said. “To put together dominant performances in back-to-back Test matches is a credit to the team's hard work, but the key remains consistency throughout the duration of the series.”
For Cook though, it will be all about breaking a consistent run of low scores at home this summer, where his top score is just 29, made against http://www.senore.com/Cricket/Pakistan-c755, the left-hander has managed scores of just eight, 12, 17 and four.
While selectors will be hoping Cook can play himself into form in this match, should he fail again, there will surely need to be some serious questions asked about whether the 25-year-old is included in England’s Ashes squad to head to Australia later in the year.
The current selection policy indicates the 25-year-old is currently in England’s plans for their Ashes defence Down Under, but what happens if Cook’s poor form spills over into this match too? That’s a head scratcher for later perhaps, and a fit Ian Bell for the Ashes should give Andrew Strauss’ side a flexibility that is perhaps missing for the current series when they take on http://www.senore.com/Cricket/Australia-c746 during the winter.
However, there is some hope for Cook fans. In the Friends Provident T20 semi-final over the weekend, Cook made 38 from 22 balls for the http://www.senore.com/Cricket/Essex-c783 Eagles and it could just be the spark he needs as he seeks to rediscover his Test form.
With the XI picked for the match at The Oval though, that means Tim Bresnan again misses out on the chance to make his case for an Ashes berth after being included in the squad for the first two matches.
"Tim Bresnan hasn't been named in the squad but will provide bowling cover just prior to the Test starting before returning to play for http://www.senore.com/Cricket/Durham-c782," Miller said.
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