Alastair Cook ‘gutted’ after being replaced by Eoin Morgan

Monday, 22 December 2014 00:05 - - {{hitsCtrl.values.hits}}

BBC: Alastair Cook has said he is “gutted” to be left out of England’s World Cup squad after Eoin Morgan was confirmed as the new one-day captain.

England’s captain Alastair Cook (R) runs with a rugby ball next to his teammate Eoin Morgan during a practice session in Pallekele on 9 December 2014 - Reuters/Dinuka Liyanawatte Cook, 29, has been dropped from the 15-man squad to play matches in Australia next month and the World Cup. “I’m gutted to be left out of the World Cup squad and it is likely to take me a while to get over the disappointment,” he said. England announced their World Cup squad on Saturday morning. The decision to drop Cook was made following a selectors’ meeting on Friday and follows a miserable year for the batsman in one-day cricket. He failed to score a century in 45 one-day internationals and recently led England to a 5-2 series defeat in Sri Lanka, scoring only 119 runs in six matches. England selector James Whitaker confirmed that Cook’s lack of runs had prompted the decision to remove him as captain. “Having reviewed the recent series against Sri Lanka, we came to the conclusion that there was no place for Alastair Cook amongst our strongest 15 one-day players,” said Whitaker. Morgan’s first challenge as captain is to lead the side in a tri-series against Australia and India as warm-up for the World Cup in February. He said: “It’s a huge honour to captain England and I am delighted to be leading the one-day side. “I firmly believe that with the players currently involved in the one-day set-up we have the makings of a very good one-day side, a young side that can surprise people at the World Cup. “We all recognise we still have a lot of work to do on our one-day game but the potential of this group of players is huge and it is now up to us as players to turn that potential into consistent performances.”

England name Ballance in World Cup squad

LONDON (Reuters): England named Gary Ballance in their 15-man squad for next year’s Tri-Series against Australia and India and the World Cup, the England and Wales Cricket Board said on Saturday. Eoin Morgan will captain the side following the axing of Alastair Cook while fast bowlers James Anderson and Stuart Broad were recalled after missing the recent tour of Sri Lanka due to injury. Cook, Ben Stokes and Harry Gurney were dropped after taking part in the seven-match one-day series against Sri Lanka which England lost 5-2. “We have had to make some difficult decisions to get to our final squad but firmly believe that the 15 players selected offer the very best chance of success at the World Cup,” chairman of selectors James Whitaker said in a statement. Squad - Eoin Morgan (captain), Moeen Ali, James Anderson, Gary Ballance, Ian Bell, Ravi Bopara, Stuart Broad, Jos Buttler, Steven Finn, Alex Hales, Chris Jordan, Joe Root, James Taylor, James Tredwell, Chris Woakes.