ALASTAIR COOK has admitted that England’s players had suspicions Australia were ball-tampering during the Ashes.
Former captain Cook has finally gone public with a view that has niggled away at the England team in private for the past few months.
It comes with Australian cricket still in turmoil following the sandpaper scandal in Cape Town last month and captain Steve Smith, vice-captain David Warner and batsman Cameron Bancroft all suspended.
When asked whether he thought anything untoward happened during the Ashes, Cook replied: “Yeah, a little bit. We did think in Perth, when the outfield was wet after the rain, and they managed to get the ball reversing.
“But there’s also that thing about whether reverse swing comes when you bowl more quickly.
“Back in 2005, for example, England had Andrew Flintoff and Simon Jones, who were quicker than the Aussies and managed to get the ball to reverse swing.
“We have to be very careful but we were curious in the Ashes at certain moments. But we couldn’t get the ball up to 90mph and they consistently could.”
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Reverse swing usually requires dry and abrasive conditions – but it rained heavily during the Third Test in Perth and the outfield was damp when England were skittled for 218 all in their second innings.
By contrast, James Anderson, a master exponent of reverse swing, hardly found any lateral movement throughout the Ashes series.
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Warner even revealed his methods to some England players during an end-of-series drinks session in the dressing-rooms.
England have until now resisted the temptation to accuse the Aussies of malpractice because it would sound like sour grapes.
And, of course, illegal tactics were not the reason England were thrashed 4-0 – Australia played dynamic and ruthless cricket.
Cook, promoting Yorkshire Tea National Cricket Week, in conjunction with Chance to Shine, from June 18-22, giving thousands of children the chance to learn through cricket, added: “It’s not for me to comment on punishments.
“But it was a real reminder of what people want to watch in sport. It was the same as cycling or match-fixing – when people buy tickets, they want to see things done in a fair way.”
Cook insists he has the skill and desire to add to his 154 Test caps – and wants to persuade new chief selector Ed Smith that he remains the man for the job.
Cook, 33, said: “If you play 150-odd Test matches, there’ll be periods when you don’t score the runs. I’ve always managed to turn it around. I’ve never been so inconsistent as I have this last six months but I still averaged 47 over the past year.
“Since I’ve come home, I’ve started to look at my preparation and do I need to change things?
“I still want to get out and bat and put myself under pressure and sit in the changing-room. I’m sure Ed Smith will have different ideas but my job never changes, it is to score runs at the top of the order.”
TEST skipper Joe Root has welcomed the proposed 100 balls-a-side event starting in 2020.
Root said: “It’s going to appeal to a completely new audience and I think that’s great. The more people and kids we can get into sport, the better.”
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