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Alastair Cook banned from fourth ODI against Sri Lanka due to slow over-rate Alastair Cook banned from fourth ODI against Sri Lanka due to slow over-rate
(35 minutes later)
Captain Alastair Cook has been suspended from England’s fourth one-day international against Sri Lanka after they were found guilty of a slow over-rate in the rain-shortened match at the Mahinda Rajapaksa International Cricket Stadium – adding to a similar transgression at Cardiff last summer. Alastair Cook has been banned for the fourth one-day international against Sri Lanka due to England’s slow over-rate in Wednesday’s five-wicket win. Eoin Morgan will take over as England captain for their next match, on Sunday in Colombo.
Cook, who was also fined 20% of his match fee, was indebted to half-centuries from his opening partner Moeen Ali (58) and then Jos Buttler (55no) in an unbroken stand of 84 with Joe Root as England chalked up a five-wicket victory with eight balls to spare in pursuit of a Duckworth-Lewis target of 236 in the third ODI. The International Cricket Council match referee David Boon decided that Cook will miss Sunday’s match, because of England’s poor over-rate in the Hambantota success.
They therefore head back to Colombo just 2-1 down, with four to play, and feasible prospects after all of delivering Cook’s first ODI series victory in his last six attempts. An overdue success for Cook – just England’s second in nine ODIs and one which reduces their deficit in this seven-match series to 2-1 – was bitter-sweet for the captain when it became obvious he would be suspended.
However England, whose players were also fined 10% of their fees, will now have to find a new captain to replace Cook, who was fined 20% of his match fee for a similar offence after an ODI against India in August. Cook was also in charge in similar circumstances against India at Cardiff last summer, and two such offences in any 12-month period bring a mandatory one-match ban. The slate, however, will then be clean again for Cook – heading towards the World Cup early next year.
Cook suspended for second minor over-rate offence http://t.co/F6ujl3e6khCook suspended for second minor over-rate offence http://t.co/F6ujl3e6kh
Before the suspension was confirmed, Cook said: “It will be what it will be. We’ll plead our case. It is incredibly tough on a big ground, the ball going everywhere in the last few overs – and also how long it takes the batsman to come out. I don’t know whether that will get me anywhere. We will see.” Peter Moores confirmed Morgan will deputise for Cook at the weekend. The coach is confident, too, that the Irishman’s poor recent form will not prove too vexing an issue in the long term.
“Eoin Morgan will captain the next game,” he said. “He’s a good player, crikey. He’ll have been through periods when he’s not quite hitting it [as he’d like]. But he’s the sort of player we’re very excited about. The key is to believe in yourself, and go out and play – and Eoin will do that, I’m sure.”
Cook, who figured in an opening stand of 84 with Moeen Ali as England chased a Duckworth-Lewis target of 236 at the Mahinda Rajapaksa International Cricket Stadium, will be reduced to an observer’s role as his team try to level the series.
“It’s a shame for Alastair,” Moores added. “I thought he played beautifully last night … he timed the ball really well.
“But one thing is that it cleans the slate for him, before we go to a World Cup, because he had that ban hanging over him, if he had one more time slow on our over-rate.”
Despite Cook’s unscheduled absence, England can at last celebrate a much-needed victory.
“It’s great to wake up when you’ve had a win,” Moores said. “Sometimes, the morning after is the time you really feel wins and losses. So it’s great to know we’re back in the series, at 2-1.”