Captain Cook

[DT]

Cook should be playing for Essex now and not England quite frankly!!!

[Slogger]

Some of the fast bowlers may need a rest but no reason why most of them should play imo. I would be amazed if thye did play

[IanS]

With the 1 day series finishing next week will the England players & more pertinently Ally be allowed to play for their Counties for the remaining 2/3 games of the season?
I think I know the answer but it would be a nice gesture by Moores , I 'm not holding my breath!!

I was at Trent  Bridge for yesterday's ODI. Cook may have been top scorer for England but he made a horribly scratchy start. Imho, it could only do him good to have a knock or two against some 2nd div attacks and perhaps help him to remember what it is like to have a long innings. It may not help England win the world cup but I think that's a lost cause anyway.

[tonk]

Too many living on past reputations-it's going to be a long winter for England watchers.

[Diatribe]

ENGLAND SELECTORS  ENLIST AID FROM THE MONTANA WILDERNESS TO DEPRIVE COOK OF CAPTAINCY.

[IanS]

ENGLAND SELECTORS  ENLIST AID FROM THE MONTANA WILDERNESS TO DEPRIVE COOK OF CAPTAINCY.

Very good, sir! But only the ODI team, please.

[tonk]

Maybe a sign of change in that Cook says he has not been told he will continue as 50 over captain.All the Sky pundits bar Strauss would not have him the team either so I wonder what they know?

[Perov]

Not alot, they all go for Morgan as captain, and he is lucky to still be in the side.
He didn't win much skippering Middlesex in one day games, and I think he is over rated.

[JasonP]

He's the only one being completely rested and there's no Test matches until March/April I think so it looks like he is staying on as ODI captain.

http://www.ecb.co.uk/news/articles/england-player-availability-rest-season

[IanS]

Not alot, they all go for Morgan as captain, and he is lucky to still be in the side.
He didn't win much skippering Middlesex in one day games, and I think he is over rated.

Couldn't agree more. Over the last two series he's been England's weakest batsman. The much maligned Cook has scored more runs at a faster rate.

[afinetickletoleg]

Not alot, they all go for Morgan as captain, and he is lucky to still be in the side.
He didn't win much skippering Middlesex in one day games, and I think he is over rated.

Couldn't agree more. Over the last two series he's been England's weakest batsman. The much maligned Cook has scored more runs at a faster rate.

But the media claim that he is just out of form!!

It just goes to show that if the media are on your side you are laughing but if not they will stick the boot in until they get what they want.

[Andy]

Fact is the media want simple stories. Cook isn't a good tactician, we all know this, and has had a sustained run of poor form not helped by the KP affair. Consequently the narrative is all doom and gloom.

Morgan, on the other hand, has been overshadowed by all this (which has helped him) and as there is no other real captaincy contender even with an unfit Broad the media is less likely to lay into Morgan - unless he gets the captaincy back off of Cook: then it's open season...

[Diatribe]

He's the only one being completely rested and there's no Test matches until March/April I think so it looks like he is staying on as ODI captain.

http://www.ecb.co.uk/news/articles/england-player-availability-rest-season

All of which makes ECCC retaining him on their books ever more bewildering. Cook has to be the club's worst ever return in their history from an international player.

My prediction is that after next season's Ashes series, Cook's international career will be over. All the top quality test bowlers have worked out his weakness and he'll be lucky to average above 25 from here on in.

[JasonP]

He's the only one being completely rested and there's no Test matches until March/April I think so it looks like he is staying on as ODI captain.

http://www.ecb.co.uk/news/articles/england-player-availability-rest-season

All of which makes ECCC retaining him on their books ever more bewildering. Cook has to be the club's worst ever return in their history from an international player.

My prediction is that after next season's Ashes series, Cook's international career will be over. All the top quality test bowlers have worked out his weakness and he'll be lucky to average above 25 from here on in.

His wages are all paid by the ecb.  Essex plan for the season as if he wont play for them and any games he plays is a bonus.  He played 3 Championship games this season and scored hundreds in 2 of them, one of which was a match winning one.  Basically you get a world class player for a handful of games for free.  Why wouldnt you want him?

[Diatribe]

  He played 3 Championship games this season and scored hundreds in 2 of them, one of which was a match winning one.  Basically you get a world class player for a handful of games for free.  Why wouldnt you want him?

I get your drift, Jason, that's with the proviso of course that he doesn't receive any stipend from ECCC, although he's certainly held his hands out to the members with his 2014 benefit donation fund.

You're probably correct in your assumption that he will captain the 2015 World Cup squad, who incidentally have less chance of winning than the 2014 England World Cup football squad. He probably threatened to storm off with his public schoolboy petulance whilst taking the bat, ball and stumps with him if deprived of the captaincy.