By David Buxton
January 16 2004
Essex's Alastair Cook has been choosen to lead the England under 19 World Cup campaign in Bangladesh next month and is another feather in the cap of his quick rise to fame and Essex youth cricket.
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Alastair, who turned 19 on Christmas Day, has replaced former under 19 captain Samit Patel of Nottinghamshire, after a change of coach (Andy Pick) has brought new ideas to the team.
The Essex left-hander, will lead his troops in the tournament the country won back in 1998 with Stephen Peters and Graham Napier at the forefront of that victorious campaign, starting in exactly a month's time, on Saturday 15th February.
The first test for Cook (of Maldon CC) will be England's opener, also on the opening day of the tournament, against Nepal in Dhaka. The final, should Cook's men reach it, will take place on Friday 5th March.
On his appointment, Cook told the official Essex website "To represent your country is an honour but to lead it is fantastic and I'm just looking forward to the challenge. It was a surprise but obviously I'm delighted and am looking forward to going out there to win the World Cup."
Surprise, surprise that Australia are the holders of this World Cup too and will take some beating from Cookies' men if we are to win back the title.
Essex's Ravinder Bopara of Hainault & Clayhall CC is also in the World Cup squad that will leave for Bangladesh at the end of the month.
Scimitars would like to congratulate Alastair on this news and wish him, Ravinder and the whole squad the best of luck for the competition.
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Date: 15/1/04
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