Alastair Cook praises Kevin Pietersen for superb knock

Even so, after Pietersen's career-best 130 had underpinned England's chase of 237 all out at the Dubai International Cricket Stadium last night, Cook was full of praise for other significant contributors too.

Craig Kieswetter, down at an unaccustomed number six these days, belied his 'block-or-biff' reputation by helping to rotate the strike expertly in a century stand for the fifth wicket
with Pietersen.

"KP will take all the headlines for an amazing innings, but it's great to see Craig come in when we're 60 for four - in a new position for him - and look as comfortable as he did," said Cook, who himself had a rare failure at the top of the
order.

"For him to come in and do that certainly brought a smile to my face as well, because we know we've got some good characters in our dressing room.

"After the blip at the start, we showed enough class from KP's innings and people supporting him to get home."

Jade Dernbach marked his ODI return with figures of four for 45. But it was his fellow new-ball bowler Steven Finn who again impressed, this time taking just two for 42 to nonetheless finish the four-match series with 13 wickets.

"The way we set the tone early - the last 10 one-day games Steven Finn has played, he's been excellent," added Cook, delighted with England's response both to the 3-0 Test drubbing they took here from Pakistan and last October's 5-0 ODI setback in India.

"It's a really good comeback. I think I said at the start of the series, if we're going to turn this round we're going to need people to stand up and be counted.

"A number of us have done that. Pakistan had won 14 out of 15 one-dayers in a row. For us to win 4-0, in subcontinent-like conditions, is a fantastic achievement.

"What happened in India, when we lost 5-0, gave us a chance to put that to bed and say 'this is what we need to do if we want to improve'.

"I couldn't have asked any more from our team: the way we've responded from India, really thought about how we wanted to play - and delivered the goods here."

Cook, like Pietersen, has contributed two centuries to England's victories - and has been rewarded by being retained, contrary to the initial plan, as cover for Ravi Bopara for three Twenty20s which start tomorrow.

His Essex team-mate has a back injury which ruled him out yesterday, and is causing England some concern.

Of his own extended stay here, and the possibility of returning to the shortest format, Cook said: "I'm just delighted to be given the opportunity again.

"I'm pretty much cover... but clearly it helps that I'm batting okay."