England off-spinner James Tredwell has backed Alastair Cook to remain as one-day captain after calls from Kevin Pietersen for him to resign.
Saturday’s eight-wicket defeat by Sri Lanka was England’s 15th in 22 ODI’s against Test-playing nations.
Tredwell, 32, says that Cook is handling the pressure and a good score from him is just round the corner.
“We are a team, he is our leader and we want that to continue,” Tredwell told BBC Sport.
After the defeat that put England 2-0 down in the seven-match series in Sri Lanka, Pietersen wrote on Twitter: “Dear Alastair, if you care about England’s chances this winter, please resign.”
England’s one-day struggles |
|---|
|
Since the Champions Trophy in 2013, England have lost 15 of their 22 completed ODIs against Test-playing opposition |
|
Alastair Cook has lost seven of his last eight ODIs as captain |
|
England’s last ODI series win under Cook’s captaincy was in New Zealand in February 2013 (having won in West Indies under Stuart Broad in Feb/Mar 2014) |
Cook made only 22 as England were bowled out for 185 in Colombo, taking his 2014 tally in 50-over internationals to 436 runs in 16 matches at an average of 29.
Tredwell said: “He (Cook) is just working on getting that score, which is just round the corner. He is a class player and we are all behind him in his leadership as well.”
The Kent bowler blamed England’s disappointing run of results on an inability to put together match-winning performances with bat and ball.
He added: “There has been the odd glimpse, but we’ve not put scores on the board and bowled well as unit in the same game. We have to put it together as one and do that game in game out. That is our challenge.”
Sri Lanka batsman Mahela Jayawardene, man-of-the-match in the eight-wicket win on Saturday, has asked to be excused from the third ODI on Wednesday in Hambantota for personal reasons.
Seam bowler Chris Woakes missed England training because of a stomach upset on Monday but is hoping to be available.
Cook’s side now have nine more games – five in the ongoing series in Sri Lanka and four in a tri-series with Australia and India – before the World Cup begins in February.
