Alastair Cook out to become first England captain to beat Australia 4-0

ALASTAIR Cook is seeking a slice of history in the fifth Test, as he looks to become the first Ashes captain to beat Australia 4-0.

ALASTAIR Cook wants England to lay down another marker before the return series this winter as he seeks to become the first Ashes captain to beat Australia 4-0.

Victory in the fifth Test, which starts tonight at The Oval, would also be another firm response to critics of Cook's captaincy, who have included Shane Warne.

Cook will lift a replica of the famous urn regardless of events over the next five days, but wants to do so with another record under his belt.

"We have a lot of record-breakers in this team and the chance to add another little notch is great motivation," Cook said. "No England side has won the Ashes 4-0, so that would be very special.

"When you get to Australia you will be saying what has gone is gone and has no relevance to the first hour [of the first Test] at Brisbane, but sitting here now those things can make a difference. If we can continue to put Australia under pressure in certain areas of their play, we know that can count when we go there."

Cook described criticism of his leadership as "water off a duck's back" and echoed Andy Flower, the team director, in noting Warne's involvement around the Australia squad on top of his work as a media pundit.

"I can only do what is true to what I believe, otherwise I lose authenticity as a leader," Cook said. "I can only look at our results over the past year. We have won in India, beaten New Zealand and won the Ashes. I am quite proud of that as a captain."

Only once, with a side depleted by defections to Kerry Packer's World Series in 1978-79, have Australia lost to England by a four-Test margin. Then it was Mike Brearley who led England to a 5-1 victory, elite company indeed for Cook potentially to join.

"I have thought about how it will feel to pick up the Ashes," he said. "Every captain does when the opportunity comes along. Coming to the Oval, every day you walk past pictures of [Michael] Vaughan and [Andrew] Strauss doing it. Knowing I will be the next captain in that line brings a smile to my face."

As thoughts turn to the winter, Cook also suggested that Monty Panesar may return to the fold, but praised Simon Kerrigan, the alternative left-arm spin option, for his first involvement with a senior England squad in the build-up to the Test.

Panesar phoned Cook to apologise for the disgrace of being fined for drunkenly urinating on a bouncer that led to Panesar's loan to Essex, Cook's county, before being released by Sussex at the end of this season. Figures of 34-14-72-1 reflected a tough opening day for his temporary employers against Northamptonshire yesterday.

"For Monty to ring showed that he knew he had done wrong and let the England shirt down a bit," Cook said.

"I did not think his problems were as bad as they were. He definitely has to get that side right because we know what a [bad] off-field life can do to you. He recognises he needs a bit of a change in his life, which I think is always the first step."

Michael Clarke, Cook's opposite number, admitted to thinking "long and hard" about his own captaincy during the series.

"It is a tough challenge when you do not get the results you want and it just inspires you to try to become better as a player and a leader," Clarke said.

"I thought about it after the India tour as well, but it is another reason to get out of bed and train. I feel I can help the team have success and that is a big part of my role as a senior player, whether I am captain or not."

Australia will give a Test debut today to James Faulkner, the 23-year-old all-rounder, in place of Usman Khawaja. Mitchell Starc replaces Jackson Bird.

"James is like a lot of our young players," Clarke said. "He is a wonderful talent, but has the toughness to mix it with any opposition."

The Times