Published: Sep 11, 2014, 02:53 AM (IST)
Edited: Sep 11, 2014, 02:53 AM (IST)
Sep 11, 2014
England selector Mick Newell backed under-fire One-Day International (ODI) skipper Alastair Cook as members of the England Cricket Board (ECB) had a meeting at Trent Bridge.
According to telegraph.co.uk, England coach Peter Moores backed Cook in spite of the series loss to India, which was also England’s fifth consecutive ODI series defeat. “England need century-makers in their ODI top five and the stats show that Alastair Cook is one of the best around,” he told the BBC. “England can surprise teams at the World Cup but our planning has had to be short-term because of the loss of [Graeme] Swann, [Jonathan]Trott and KP [Kevin Pietersen].”
Newell met with national selector James Whitaker and Moores at Trent Bridge in order to name the players who will receive central contracts for the next year as the contracts are scheduled to end by the first week of October.
Chances are that Matt Prior, who is recovering from an injury, will be replaced by the impressive Jos Buttler, while England’s Test No 3 Gary Ballance and leading spinning all-rounder Moeen Ali are likely to get contracts at the cost of Jonathan Trott and the retired Graeme Swann. The other players who could benefit from central contracts are all-rounders Ben Stokes and Chris Woakes, and pacers Chris Jordan and Liam Plunkett.
