Cook seeks overdue century vs. Sri Lanka

Image
AP Leeds (England)
Last Updated : Jun 20 2014 | 10:47 AM IST
England captain Alastair Cook hopes returning to Headingley for the second test against Sri Lanka can help him rediscover his batting form.
Cook opened at Lord's in the first test draw with scores of only 17 and 28, his lack of runs continuing from the Ashes whitewash in Australia.
But Cook can draw on the memory of his most recent test century at Headingley over a year ago against New Zealand in his search for an elusive ton when the second test starts on Friday.
"I need to get back to scoring as many runs as I can," Cook said. "I'm doubly determined to get a score. I'm doing all the hard work."
England is expected to be unchanged from the first test, with batsman Ian Bell making his 100th cap.
"To look at those numbers and see some of the names that you're with - I can't believe it really," Bell said. "When you start, you never really dream of getting this far."
Sri Lanka captain Angelo Mathews rejected the idea that drawing the two-test series 0-0 would be an achievement for his side, and is instead targeting a first-ever test series victory in England.
"It's going to be our last game in England for the summer and we look forward to giving them a good fight and hopefully win it," Mathews said. "We will go out there and play positive cricket."
Sri Lanka relied on tailender Nuwan Pradeep to defy England in the final over at Lord's to salvage a draw, and Mathews acknowledges improvement is required.
"The way we fought and the way the boys showed their character was good," he said. "But with our bowling, batting and fielding we still can improve, in all three departments." Sri Lanka has been forced into a change, with regular wicketkeeper Prasanna Jayawardene out with a finger injury.
*Subscribe to Business Standard digital and get complimentary access to The New York Times

Smart Quarterly

₹900

3 Months

₹300/Month

SAVE 25%

Smart Essential

₹2,700

1 Year

₹225/Month

SAVE 46%
*Complimentary New York Times access for the 2nd year will be given after 12 months

Super Saver

₹3,900

2 Years

₹162/Month

Subscribe

Renews automatically, cancel anytime

Here’s what’s included in our digital subscription plans

Exclusive premium stories online

  • Over 30 premium stories daily, handpicked by our editors

Complimentary Access to The New York Times

  • News, Games, Cooking, Audio, Wirecutter & The Athletic

Business Standard Epaper

  • Digital replica of our daily newspaper — with options to read, save, and share

Curated Newsletters

  • Insights on markets, finance, politics, tech, and more delivered to your inbox

Market Analysis & Investment Insights

  • In-depth market analysis & insights with access to The Smart Investor

Archives

  • Repository of articles and publications dating back to 1997

Ad-free Reading

  • Uninterrupted reading experience with no advertisements

Seamless Access Across All Devices

  • Access Business Standard across devices — mobile, tablet, or PC, via web or app

More From This Section

First Published: Jun 20 2014 | 10:47 AM IST

Next Story