England / Andrew Hughes / 16 August 2010 /

An Ashes series is not the best time to be contemplating a new opening partnership, but the poor form of Alastair Cook is causing some pundits to suggest a change ahead of the First Test in Brisbane. Andrew Hughes looks at England's options.

Earlier this year it appeared that Alastair Cook's position in the England team was as secure as it had ever been. He'd put a poor 2009 behind him with a century in Durban and, asked to lead the team in Bangladesh in the absence of Andrew Strauss, he seemed to take to the job well, scoring two more hundreds in the process. He was regarded by many as the most likely successor when Strauss eventually stood down.

Yet Cook's form since returning from Bangladesh has taken a sudden and unexpected downturn. In eight Test match innings, he has failed to pass thirty and is averaging a paltry thirteen in the five day game this summer. His poor form has reopened the arguments about his place in the team that began last summer. But with an Ashes series fast approaching, England are fast running out of games in which to try alternatives. So what are the options?

Retain Alastair Cook

There is little doubt that this is the preferred approach of the England management and in selecting Cook for the Third Test against Pakistan that got underway on Wednesday, they are making it clear that they believe he can work through his bad form. Having identified Cook as a key part of their long term strategy, there is an understandable reluctance to jettison him and with over 4000 Test runs under his belt at the age of 25, it is clear that he is a talented batsman.

The problem is that he isn't just out of form, he looks completely at sea. He has been working intensively with Graham Gooch on his technique for months, but still his deficiencies are glaring; his lack of footwork and tendency to play away from his body make him vulnerable and whereas he once managed to score runs despite these problems, he now seems unable to get past them. It is surely a significant risk to take him to Australia as Strauss's first choice opening partner, given that he only averages 26 against Ricky Ponting's team.

Call up Michael Carberry

Carberry has been the next in line to an opening slot for some time now and finally got the call in the spring in Bangladesh. He didn't really take his chance in the First Test and when England wanted to play an extra bowler in Chittagong it was Carberry who dropped out. It isn't clear that the England management rate him as a solid international opener and there have always been doubts over his tendency to lose concentration and give his wicket away when well set.

Promote Jonathan Trott

It was Trott who stepped in as makeshift opener in Chittagong and he performed creditably well. His intense concentration and ability to dig in (almost literally, given the pitch excavations that form part of his pre-delivery routine) suggest he would be better suited than most to the role. And his promotion up the order would solve another ticklish problem, opening up an extra batting position and enabling the selection of both Eoin Morgan and Ian Bell.

With the Ashes just three months away and only one more Test against Pakistan to be played, it would be a courageous move for the England management to experiment with Trott as an opener, but it would be the right one. England are [3.4] to win down under and if they are to do so, they can't afford any weak links. Right now, they can't afford to have Alastair Cook in their team.

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