Cook gets WI warm-up in Abu Dhabi

Saturday, 24 January 2015 03:09 - - {{hitsCtrl.values.hits}}

Alastair Cook will prepare for England’s tour of West Indies by playing for MCC in Abu Dhabi after being named in the squad for the Champion County match against Yorkshire and the Emirates T20 tournament which precedes the four-day fixture. However, Cook, who was sacked as England’s one-day captain last month, will not lead the side with that honour going to his former Test opening partner Nick Compton with the pair set to be reunited at the top of the order.

Alongside Cook and Compton, Michael Carberry makes it a trio of recent England openers in the side for the match which begins on March 22. The fixture against the County Champions has been played in Abu Dhabi since 2009 and takes place under floodlights with a pink ball. The Cook-Compton opening pairing only lasted nine Tests before it was separated shortly before the 2013 Ashes when Compton’s poor form in two home Tests against New Zealand persuaded the selectors to change tact and promote Joe Root up the order. However, they had formed a successful combination, averaging 57.93 over their 17 innings together. That included stands of 123 and 165 against India - the second of those helping to set up victory in Kolkata - followed by a 231-run stand against New Zealand in Dunedin. England play a three-Test series in the West Indies from April 13. They have two two-day warm-up matches before the first Test in Antigua, but the MCC fixture will be Cook’s first first-class outing since the final Test against India, at The Oval, last August. Graham Onions is the other player in the XI who has Test experience with the rest of the side comprising seasoned county cricketers and some of the up-and-coming talent from the domestic game. Sam Billings, the Kent wicketkeeper-batsman, his team-mate Adam Riley and Surrey quick Matt Dunn - who have all been involved with England Lions in South Africa - have earned call-ups. Billings and Riley are graduates of MCC Universities as is Surrey allrounder Zafar Ansari. “Of course to have a batsman of Alastair Cook’s calibre involved shows the standing this fixture has in professional cricket and I’m delighted to have him at the top of the order,” John Stephenson, the MCC’s head of cricket, said. “This is certainly the strongest team we’ve ever selected for this fixture and it’s great to see a good number of MCC Universities alumni involved too. There’s an excellent blend of youth and experience, and I’m sure Nick Compton will lead the group expertly.” Paras Khadka, the Nepal captain, is also part of the squad for the T20 matches and MCC are set to announce “an international T20 star” next week. MCC squad Alastair Cook, Nick Compton (capt), Michael Carberry, James Hildreth, Zafar Ansari, Daryl Mitchell, Sam Billings, Matt Dunn, Chris Rushworth, Graham Onions, Adam Riley, Paras Khadka (T20 only)