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North Wales Chronicle
20-05-2025
- Sport
- North Wales Chronicle
England line-up change is going to come with Sam Cook making Test debut
Essex bowler Cook received a long-awaited call-up after several years as one of county cricket's most reliable wicket-takers and has now been confirmed in the XI that will line up at Trent Bridge on Thursday. Tongue, who impressed with a spirited Ashes performance at Lord's in 2023 but missed the whole of last season with a pectoral injury, has also been picked in a new-look attack fronted by Gus Atkinson. That means no place for Durham's Matthew Potts, who sits out alongside the uncapped James Rew. Shoaib Bashir retains his spot as spinner despite taking just two wickets in a low-key loan spell at Glamorgan, while fit-again captain Ben Stokes is expected to offer some overs after a lengthy rehabilitation period from his latest hamstring tear. Cook's belated elevation means he arrives in the Test arena with a highly impressive body of work under his belt, something that has not always been the case under a selection regime that often prioritises potential. A tally of 321 wickets in 89 first-class appearances, and an average of 19.85, means he is more than qualified. But England's penchant for high pace means he has had to wait for the retirements of James Anderson and Stuart Broad, as well as an injury to Chris Woakes, to open up space for a player with his gentler speed and nuanced skills. 'I've been incredibly fortunate to have been a fan growing up watching those guys. They are some of the best who have ever done it and people I've tried to emulate,' he said. 'They're tough acts to follow, aren't they? But as a fan and as a bowler, trying to sort of learn from them and watch them, it's been very valuable. 'At 27 I feel like a better cricketer for the experiences I've had in the game. The older you get, you probably feel more comfortable and I know that I'm never going to be a 90mph bowler. 'I think it's probably driven me on and made me a better bowler for it. I certainly trust what I do and feel comfortable in my own skin.' Cook's appearance in Nottingham was flagged up several weeks ago when England requested he be rested from Essex's County Championship match against Worcestershire and he has had a couple of weeks to digest his official call-up, building the anticipation. 'I think having a little bit of lead time to process it is probably good but you just want to get stuck in straight away,' he said. 'I was sort of like a kid at Christmas that week, almost wanting it to go quicker just to get here. I'm just excited at the prospect of what's potentially to come and trying to get stuck in and take some wickets.' If he does, Cook will be adding them to the 'little black book' he keeps to record his victims. 'It started as a bit of a joke when I was younger,' he explained. 'It's something I can look back on when I finish playing. It'll be a nice memento. There'll be some good names in there and a few more to come hopefully. When I was quite young I got Joe Root first ball. I'll let him know about that one. Maybe he can sign it this week.'
South Wales Guardian
20-05-2025
- Sport
- South Wales Guardian
England line-up change is going to come with Sam Cook making Test debut
Essex bowler Cook received a long-awaited call-up after several years as one of county cricket's most reliable wicket-takers and has now been confirmed in the XI that will line up at Trent Bridge on Thursday. Tongue, who impressed with a spirited Ashes performance at Lord's in 2023 but missed the whole of last season with a pectoral injury, has also been picked in a new-look attack fronted by Gus Atkinson. That means no place for Durham's Matthew Potts, who sits out alongside the uncapped James Rew. Shoaib Bashir retains his spot as spinner despite taking just two wickets in a low-key loan spell at Glamorgan, while fit-again captain Ben Stokes is expected to offer some overs after a lengthy rehabilitation period from his latest hamstring tear. Cook's belated elevation means he arrives in the Test arena with a highly impressive body of work under his belt, something that has not always been the case under a selection regime that often prioritises potential. A tally of 321 wickets in 89 first-class appearances, and an average of 19.85, means he is more than qualified. But England's penchant for high pace means he has had to wait for the retirements of James Anderson and Stuart Broad, as well as an injury to Chris Woakes, to open up space for a player with his gentler speed and nuanced skills. 'I've been incredibly fortunate to have been a fan growing up watching those guys. They are some of the best who have ever done it and people I've tried to emulate,' he said. 'They're tough acts to follow, aren't they? But as a fan and as a bowler, trying to sort of learn from them and watch them, it's been very valuable. 'At 27 I feel like a better cricketer for the experiences I've had in the game. The older you get, you probably feel more comfortable and I know that I'm never going to be a 90mph bowler. 'I think it's probably driven me on and made me a better bowler for it. I certainly trust what I do and feel comfortable in my own skin.' Cook's appearance in Nottingham was flagged up several weeks ago when England requested he be rested from Essex's County Championship match against Worcestershire and he has had a couple of weeks to digest his official call-up, building the anticipation. 'I think having a little bit of lead time to process it is probably good but you just want to get stuck in straight away,' he said. 'I was sort of like a kid at Christmas that week, almost wanting it to go quicker just to get here. I'm just excited at the prospect of what's potentially to come and trying to get stuck in and take some wickets.' If he does, Cook will be adding them to the 'little black book' he keeps to record his victims. 'It started as a bit of a joke when I was younger,' he explained. 'It's something I can look back on when I finish playing. It'll be a nice memento. There'll be some good names in there and a few more to come hopefully. When I was quite young I got Joe Root first ball. I'll let him know about that one. Maybe he can sign it this week.'
Glasgow Times
20-05-2025
- Sport
- Glasgow Times
England line-up change is going to come with Sam Cook making Test debut
Essex bowler Cook received a long-awaited call-up after several years as one of county cricket's most reliable wicket-takers and has now been confirmed in the XI that will line up at Trent Bridge on Thursday. Tongue, who impressed with a spirited Ashes performance at Lord's in 2023 but missed the whole of last season with a pectoral injury, has also been picked in a new-look attack fronted by Gus Atkinson. Essex's Sam Cook catches out Surrey's Dom Sibley (Steven Paston/PA) That means no place for Durham's Matthew Potts, who sits out alongside the uncapped James Rew. Shoaib Bashir retains his spot as spinner despite taking just two wickets in a low-key loan spell at Glamorgan, while fit-again captain Ben Stokes is expected to offer some overs after a lengthy rehabilitation period from his latest hamstring tear. Cook's belated elevation means he arrives in the Test arena with a highly impressive body of work under his belt, something that has not always been the case under a selection regime that often prioritises potential. A tally of 321 wickets in 89 first-class appearances, and an average of 19.85, means he is more than qualified. But England's penchant for high pace means he has had to wait for the retirements of James Anderson and Stuart Broad, as well as an injury to Chris Woakes, to open up space for a player with his gentler speed and nuanced skills. 'I've been incredibly fortunate to have been a fan growing up watching those guys. They are some of the best who have ever done it and people I've tried to emulate,' he said. 'They're tough acts to follow, aren't they? But as a fan and as a bowler, trying to sort of learn from them and watch them, it's been very valuable. 'At 27 I feel like a better cricketer for the experiences I've had in the game. The older you get, you probably feel more comfortable and I know that I'm never going to be a 90mph bowler. 'I think it's probably driven me on and made me a better bowler for it. I certainly trust what I do and feel comfortable in my own skin.' Cook's appearance in Nottingham was flagged up several weeks ago when England requested he be rested from Essex's County Championship match against Worcestershire and he has had a couple of weeks to digest his official call-up, building the anticipation. 'I think having a little bit of lead time to process it is probably good but you just want to get stuck in straight away,' he said. 'I was sort of like a kid at Christmas that week, almost wanting it to go quicker just to get here. I'm just excited at the prospect of what's potentially to come and trying to get stuck in and take some wickets.' If he does, Cook will be adding them to the 'little black book' he keeps to record his victims. 'It started as a bit of a joke when I was younger,' he explained. 'It's something I can look back on when I finish playing. It'll be a nice memento. There'll be some good names in there and a few more to come hopefully. When I was quite young I got Joe Root first ball. I'll let him know about that one. Maybe he can sign it this week.'
Yahoo
20-05-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Bowler Cook to make England debut against Zimbabwe
Essex bowler Sam Cook will make his England debut in this week's Test against Zimbabwe, coach Brendon McCullum has confirmed. The 27-year-old, who has been prolific in recent seasons in county cricket, will form an inexperienced bowling attack with Gus Atkinson, Josh Tongue and spinner Shoaib Bashir. Durham bowler Matthew Potts and Somerset batter James Rew are the two players from the 13-strong squad to have been left out. Zak Crawley has been retained as opener as expected while Ollie Pope returns to number three from the middle order with Jamie Smith back as wicketkeeper after paternity leave. The match, a four-day Test and Zimbabwe's first in England since 2003, begins at Trent Bridge on Thursday. ——————————————————— England team: Crawley, Duckett, Pope, Root, Brook, Stokes (capt), Smith (wk), Atkinson, Tongue, Cook, Bashir. ——————————————————— Man Utd, DJing and Fred the tortoise - meet Sam Cook England set to start key year with callow attack Get cricket news sent straight to your phone England have often favoured pace or variation in height or angle in recent selections but Cook is a more traditional, skilful seam bowler - his debut a reward for his superb County Championship record. Cook's 227 County Championship wickets were the most by any seamer in the past five years while his overall haul of 321 first-class wickets have come at an average of only 19.85. But the pace trio of Cook, Tongue and Atkinson contains only 13 Test caps, making it England's most inexperienced pace attack for 22 years. This will be only the second home Test England have begun without any of Chris Woakes, James Anderson or Stuart Broad - the latter two have now retired - in the past 18 years. Woakes and Mark Wood, England's two most experienced pace bowlers, are currently injured. Nottinghamshire's Tongue will offer captain Ben Stokes a faster bowling option and returns for his first Test since the 2023 Ashes. Hamstring and pectoral injuries prevented him from adding to the two appearances he made that summer, in which he took 10 wickets. The Zimbabwe Test begins a defining run for England's red-ball side with a five-match series against India to follow from 20 June and the Ashes in Australia this winter.
Leader Live
20-05-2025
- Sport
- Leader Live
England line-up change is going to come with Sam Cook making Test debut
Essex bowler Cook received a long-awaited call-up after several years as one of county cricket's most reliable wicket-takers and has now been confirmed in the XI that will line up at Trent Bridge on Thursday. Tongue, who impressed with a spirited Ashes performance at Lord's in 2023 but missed the whole of last season with a pectoral injury, has also been picked in a new-look attack fronted by Gus Atkinson. Essex's Sam Cook catches out Surrey's Dom Sibley (Steven Paston/PA) That means no place for Durham's Matthew Potts, who sits out alongside the uncapped James Rew. Shoaib Bashir retains his spot as spinner despite taking just two wickets in a low-key loan spell at Glamorgan, while fit-again captain Ben Stokes is expected to offer some overs after a lengthy rehabilitation period from his latest hamstring tear.
