Brisbane: Alastair Cook dismissed talks of Mitchell Johnson as ‘irrelevant’ here Tuesday as England prepare to face Australia’s new-look pace attack in the first Ashes Test beginning Thursday.
The former England skipper and opening stalwart was speaking after Australia spinner Nathan Lyon’s taunts that his team was in the mood to ‘end some careers’ in the series.
Much has been said about the demoralising effect Johnson had on England at the Gabba four years ago, when he ripped through the tourists’ batting. However, Cook urged his teammates to maintain their focus on the first Test and not to take a rear-vision view of past events.
“Mitch (Johnson) bowled outstandingly in that series. Cook told reporters. But that is past, so in one sense it’s a bit irrelevant. It happened four years ago and it’s all what happens Thursday rather than looking back. England have won four of the last five Ashes series, so you can look at what you want,” Cook, who was captain in that series, added.
Cook said while Australia’s current pace attack – Mitchell Starc, Josh Hazlewood and Pat Cummins – was strong, it didn’t hold any great fears for the tourists.
“There’s nothing we haven’t seen before in cricket,” Cook pointed out. “They’re not suddenly bowling 150 miles an hour. (They’ve) not got magic balls. “They’re very good bowlers with good records. As batters, that is the challenge we’ve got in the next seven weeks.”
Cook said England had ‘pretty much accepted’ that star all-rounder Ben Stokes would not play a role in the Ashes series, despite reports that he may soon join the tour.
“Since we’ve arrived here, as a side, we’ve pretty much accepted Ben would not be here. It’s about dealing with that,” Cook pointed out.
“If there is a bonus of him (Stokes) making the trip at some stage, that’d be great. But I can honestly say it hasn’t been spoken about in the change room,” he added.
David plays down neck injury scare
Brisbane: Australia received an injury scare Tuesday when vice-captain David Warner twinged his neck while taking a high catch on the Gabba outfield before leaving the playing area. He however, asserted that sore neck or not, he would be playing in the first Test at the Gabba beginning Thursday. “My neck is quite stiff. I haven’t really had a stiff neck like this one before,” Warner said. “But I don’t think a sore neck is going to keep me out.”
Agence France-Presse
