Cook gives food for thought

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The Essex left-hander began the tour to New Zealand knowing he was down the pecking order for the two Twenty20 matches in Auckland and Christchurch behind more aggressive strokemakers in the squad.

But he produced a superb innings of 51 off 66 balls during Saturday's victory and followed that up with an unbeaten 138 against the same opposition to help the tourists complete a seven-wicket triumph with 7.1 overs remaining.

Cook hit 20 fours and two sixes in his 140-ball innings and proved the mainstay of England's reply after Canterbury reached a respectable 218 for nine, for whom New Zealand batsman Michael Papps top-scored with 89 off 127 balls.

He again dominated the opening partnership with Durham wicketkeeper Phil Mustard, who was bowled for 11 attempting to slog seamer Leighton Burtt, while Kevin Pietersen also fell cheaply when he was caught behind for 10.

Captain Paul Collingwood contributed a useful 40 towards an 89-run stand before being caught in the deep off leg-spinner Todd Astle just as his half-century was in sight.

But Cook kept his composure to steer England home and put himself firmly in the frame for Tuesday's Twenty20 opener at Eden Park as the tourists completed successive warm-up victories over Canterbury.

The two sides had earlier agreed to reduce the number of players per side from 13 to 12 with England deciding to rest Ian Bell, who top-scored with 79 yesterday, and Ryan Sidebottom to give Hampshire seamer Chris Tremlett his first run-out of the tour.

Captain Collingwood provided England`s momentum by claiming wickets with successive balls, removing Peter Fulton with a smart return catch before Chris Harris fell to the next delivery when he played on. He claimed a third scalp when Shahan Stewart drove tamely to Tremlett at mid-on.

Papps teamed up with wicketkeeper Kruger van Wyk to share a 92-run stand before holing out to James Anderson at deep mid-wicket to earn Luke Wright his first England wicket. Wright finished with three for 35 while Kruger hit an unbeaten 53 off 58 balls.