Alastair Cook

Live Updates: Cook, Trott take England forward

CLICK HERE for Live Updates from Day 2 of the Headingley Test after rain washed out the opening day's play.

Playing XIs:

England: Alastair Cook (capt), Nick Compton, Jonathan Trott, Ian Bell, Joe Root, Jonny Bairstow, Matt Prior (wk), Stuart Broad, Graeme Swann, Steven Finn, James Anderson

New Zealand: Peter Fulton, Hamish Rutherford, Kane Williamson, Ross Taylor, Dean Brownlie, Martin Guptill, Brendon McCullum (capt/wk), Tim Southee, Doug Bracewell, Neil Wagner, Trent Boult...more    

As it happened: England v New Zealand, 2nd Test, Day 1

Stumps: The first day's play of the second Test between England and New Zealand was abandoned due to rain. TOSS DELAYED: It's raining in Leeds, and even if it stops right now, we are in for an at least 90-minute delay. But the rain doesn't look like relenting at the moment, keeping the ground under covers. Ground News: The conditions are freezing as we approach the toss time. Heavy wind...  

New Zealand opt for all-pace attack in 2nd Test

Leeds: Spinner and former skipper Daniel Vettori ruled himself out of the second Test at Headingley, ensuring New Zealand will take on England with an all-pace attack from Friday. Vettori's decision to put the team first rather than play a 112th Test and become the sole New Zealand record-holder for caps, means fast bowler Doug Bracewell will complement a seam attack with Tim Southee, Trent Boult and Neil Wagner. "It's...  

Pietersen's absence puts England batsmen under pressure

Leeds: Kevin Pietersen remains a talking point, even when he's injured, and so it was that England captain Alastair Cook found himself being quizzed about the star batsman in Leeds on the eve of the second and final Test against New Zealand at Headingley. It was at Headingley last year that Pietersen scored a spectacular century against his native South Africa only to say that it was "difficult being me"....  

Alastair Cook expects hard work against NZ at Headingley

Leeds: England captain Alastair Cook believes Headingley will be far from the bowling-friendly ground of old when the second Test against New Zealand starts at Yorkshire's headquarters on Friday. England shot out the Black Caps for just 68 in their second innings at Lord's last week to set-up a 170-run win that put them go 1-0 up in a two-match series. Stuart Broad, with a Test-best seven for 44, and...  

2nd Test: England look to seal series against New Zealand

London: Buoyed by Stuart Broad's match-winning burst at Lord's, England will look to seal a series win over New Zealand in the second and final Test starting at Headingley on Friday before turning their attention to Australia in July. Broad's seven-wicket haul in the second innings of the first Test bowled England to a 170-run victory as New Zealand were skittled for just 68 having matched the hosts for three...  

England crawl to 160/4 on Day 1 against New Zealand

London: In the curtain-raiser to an action-packed English summer of international cricket, New Zealand stole the show by limiting England to a plodding 160-4 on the first day of the first Test at Lord's. The stage was set for England to show their true colors on Thursday, with the team back at full strength, at cricket's HQ, and desperate to rectify for a humbling series draw in New Zealand two...  

England face 33 scheduled playing days in Australia

Sydney: England will have 33 scheduled international playing days on their Ashes tour to Australia starting in November, Cricket Australia said on Thursday. The tour programme includes five Tests, a streamlined five one-day international series, three Twenty20 internationals and five other tour games. The Ashes Test series begins at Brisbane's Gabba ground on November 21 with further Tests in Adelaide (December 5-9), Perth (December 13-17), Melbourne (December 26-30) and the...  

As it happened: England vs New Zealand, first Test, day 1

New Zealand bowlers kept a check on the run-rate as England batsman got out after getting starts. Trent Boult got 2 two wickets with Martin and Wagner taking one each. CLICK HERE for live ball-by-ball updates from day one of the first Test between England and New Zealand being played at Lord's in London. PLAYING XIs: ENGLAND: 1 Alastair Cook (capt), 2 Nick Compton, 3 Jonathan Trott, 4 Ian Bell,...  

No lack of effort or application in NZ, says Cook

London: England were not complacent or under-prepared during their disappointing tour of New Zealand this year, captain Alastair Cook said on Wednesday. England, the world's second-ranked side, were outplayed by their eighth-ranked hosts and only a courageous century by Matt Prior and a rearguard batting effort on the final day secured the draw in the third test that left the series level at 0-0. "It was not a lack of...  

England squad for first Test announced, Bresnan, Swann recalled

London: Graeme Swann and Tim Bresnan have both been recalled by England in a 12-man squad announced Saturday for next week's first Test against New Zealand at Lord's following their respective recoveries from elbow surgery. Off-spinner Swann and seamer Bresnan both last played Test cricket in the series-clinching win over India in Nagpur in December and missed the recent drawn three-Test series in New Zealand. However, Nottinghamshire's Swann and Yorkshire's...  

Essex grateful for England captain Alastair Cook

London: Essex were glad to have England captain Alastair Cook on board for a rare County Championship appearance as 15 wickets fell on a dramatic first day against Hampshire at Chelmsford on Monday. The opening batsman finished the opening day of this four-day Second Division clash unbeaten on 25 in an Essex total of 5 for 72 after the hosts had dismissed Hampshire for a seemingly meagre 197 featuring 60...  

New Zealand keen to complete 'unfinished business' in England

Wellington: A galvanised New Zealand head to Britain on Monday determined to finish off a job they came so close to completing in a thrilling climax to their drawn Test series against Alastair Cook's England at home last month. Brendon McCullum's underdogs had the entire Eden Park crowd on the edge of their seats as they got to within one wicket distance of achieving a remarkable 1-0 series victory over...  

Alastair Cook targets era of England dominance

London: England captain Alastair Cook believes his team could be on the verge of a period of sustained dominance which would peak with a World Cup triumph in two years. Cook is confident England's recent lacklustre displays in the drawn Test series against New Zealand were just a blip that will soon be forgotten as they head into a frenetic programme over the next few months. England play New Zealand...  

New Zealand trending in the right direction: Brendon McCullum

Auckland: Redemption was not a word New Zealand captain Brendon McCullum would bother to countenance after his side were denied a Test series victory against England after the final match on Tuesday. McCullum's team had come into the series ranked eighth in the world after a humiliating series loss in South Africa marked by a first innings dismissal for 45 runs in the opening Test. Alastair Cook's England arrived having...  

High drama offers fitting end to tense Test series

Auckland: England captain Alastair Cook found himself pacing around the dressing room as the three-match Test series against New Zealand drew to a gripping climax at Eden Park on Tuesday. He changed seats when Stuart Broad was the eighth man to be dismissed, having decided that "the luck" had run out of that perch, so he needed somewhere else to watch the final few overs. Cook, however, gave up on...  

Cook experiences relief and disappointment in NZ

Auckland: England captain Alastair Cook breathed a sigh of relief that his side managed to scrape out a nail-biting draw in the series-deciding third Test against New Zealand on Tuesday, though disappointment was the over-riding emotion. England wicketkeeper Matt Prior scored a belligerent century to help his side to 315 for 9, having long given up on chasing the 481 required for victory. The draw ensured that the three-match series,...  

Alastair Cook's dismissal could be key: Peter Fulton

Auckland: Peter Fulton reckons the wicket of England captain Alastair Cook late on Monday could prove crucial to their success in the series-deciding third Test at the Eden Park, Auckland. Cook was on 43 when he was caught brilliantly at second slip by Dean Brownlie off part-time offspinner Kane Williamson. The wicket of Cook is followed by the dismissal of nightwatchman Steven Finn, who too got out to Williamson as...