Cook: It's time to get serious again

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Cook, 23, who has signed a two-year extension which ties him to the county until the end of the 2011 season, faces a long and potentially gruelling series of matches between now and the end of the year - starting with the money-spinning Stanford Super Series in the West Indies and continuing with seven one-day internationals and two Tests in India.

"It's been great to have a few weeks off but now it's time to get serious again," Cook said. "With India having just beaten Australia it's going to be a good opportunity to test ourselves and see how we are progressing ahead of next year's Ashes. India is a great, albeit tough, place to tour and I'm really looking forward to it."

On his new county deal, Cook added: "I'm delighted to have signed a deal to continue my relationship with Essex County Cricket Club for the foreseeable future.

"I hope to play for England for as long and as much as I can, but it's important to have the support of everyone at Essex, who are a county moving forward very quickly under [captain] Mark Pettini and [coach] Paul Grayson.

"It's nice that I've been able to secure my future before going away [with England] and hopefully Essex will always be there for me.

"Winning the Friends Provident Trophy at Lord's was undoubtedly one of my highlights of 2008. Having grown up playing for Essex since the under-12s, it was a special moment and hopefully the first of many."