Cook turning up the heat

Paul Collingwood and Alastair Cook be fighting for a place in the team © Getty Images

With Ashes-winning captain Michael Vaughan out with a knee injury, Essex’s Alastair Cook has been given his chance to impress - one he has taken with both hands.

Cook has scored three Test hundreds and three fifties in his nine matches to date, and has fitted into the number three position with consummate ease.

But rivalry for places is hotting up ahead of the Ashes series in Australia, something which makes Cook even more determined to succeed.

“Competition for batting places is tough. Colly (Paul Collingwood), me and Belly (Ian Bell) would probably all openly admit that we are fighting for two places,” he told essexcricket.org.uk.

“They both played awesome cricket all summer so who knows what is going to happen. But if you score some runs in the warm-up games then you can give yourself the best chance. It’s like in any form of cricket, if you score runs they can’t leave you out.”

England leave for Australia on Friday evening and Cook says it is finally beginning to sink in that he is part of the Ashes squad.

“The kit’s all packed and the press are starting to hype it all up a bit. But I think everyone is just looking forward to getting on with it now and all 16 of us are ready for the challenge,” he added.

Alastair Cook celebrates his second Test match hundred

“I think facing Australia in Australia is the pinnacle of any sporting event. For any Englishman that is the toughest challenge they can be in.

“In two months it’s all going to be over but hopefully we will have won it. It’s going to be very tough but I’m just looking forward to the fight.”

But Cook is determined not to set himself any personal goals for the series, seeing the goal of retaining the Ashes as important enough.

“There’s one goal that all of use have got, and that is to keep that little urn with us. As a 16-man squad all of us have got to pull our weight and work together to do it - whether it’s scoring runs or taking wickets,” the 21-year-old said.

“Everyone knows they have got to perform so setting goals for me is unnecessary. You are playing for England against Australia, so you don’t have to build it up anymore. Obviously the more runs you get the better, and that’s both the side and individually.

“I want to score hundreds, I want to score runs and I want to play.”

One man who does see Cook as a threat to Australia’s chances of success is Glenn McGrath, something in which Cook takes great pride.

“It’s an honour in one way for someone with over 500 wickets to target you. I’ve just played in a few Test matches. He’s a great bowler, a great competitor and someone I’m looking forward to challenging - along with the rest of the Australian side.”

Shane Warne has posed a problem for many of England’s batsmen in the past, but Cook isn’t letting the leg-spinner’s reputation precede him.

Shane Warne © Getty Images

Warne has been plying his trade for Hampshire for the last couple of seasons, but the Essex opener has not been able to study him at close quarters.

“I have never faced him - not one ball. I’ve always been out before he’s come on,” Cook said.

“But I’ve played in Test matches against the likes of (Anil) Kumble, Harbhajan (Singh), (Muttiah) Muralitharan, Danish (Kaneria) so I’ve faced some great spinners.

“Shane Warne is another great bowler so I have to treat him with respect, but if he bowls a bad ball I have to put it away.”

“He’s probably the greatest of them all, but that’s the challenge. The squad are thriving on challenges like that and we are looking forward to facing them head on,” Cook added confidently.

But the left-hander is not letting himself get too far ahead and is just taking each day as it comes and focusing on the important things.

“The most important date I’ve got on my mind is Brisbane on November 23. It’s crucial we get off to a good start in the Ashes and put the pressure back on Australia.

“The squad who is going out there now is taking the side forward in new areas. I just think that there is a confidence and belief that if we start well and put them under pressure then it will be Australia under the cosh because they can’t lose the Ashes in Australia - their public won’t allow it!”