Cook Rues Batting Errors After Defeat

18 Jul 2016 | Cricket
Alastair Cook was left to rue \'naive\' batting, as Pakistan\'s Yasir Shah spun England into trouble in the first Investec Test at Lord\'s – securing a 75-run victory for the tourists on a thrilling fourth day.

Cook, who perished early in England's chase – caught behind off Rahat Ali – admitted England's batting had not been up to scratch, with Jonny Bairstow the top scorer with a defiant 48.

The England captain reflected on a difficult result to swallow, as England's batsmen crumpled in the face of some hostile Pakistan bowling. England fell 75 runs short of their target, 283 to win.

Cook said: "Chasing 280, you need someone to play out of their skin, get a hundred and for people to bat around him.

"We allowed Yasir to get six wickets when he wasn't turning the ball. It cost us."

The England skipper took some positives out of the Test, including Chris Woakes' haul of 11 wickets and his own first innings 81, before vowing to bounce back in the second Test which begins at Old Trafford on Friday.

"It was a great day's cricket," Cook said. "It's been a really good Test. It ebbed and flowed; neither side grabbed the initiative. Pakistan always had their noses ahead.

"As always when you lose, you look at things to improve. What we've seen shows it'll be an exciting series."

Head Coach Trevor Bayliss also rued mistakes in the field, which cost England an ultimately vital first innings lead of 77 that they could never make up.

The defeat continues an unfortunate run of results for England at the home of cricket, where they were well-beaten by Australia last year, and could not quite eke out a result against Sri Lanka earlier in the summer.

The Australian said: "We're playing on our own turf – we've got to play and defend like it is our home turf."

"I don't think we started very well. I didn't think our fielding was anywhere up to scratch. That set the tone for the rest of the game."

England and Pakistan meet in Cardiff on September 4 in the finale of the Royal London One-Day International Series at the SSE SWALEC. Tickets, priced from £35, are available by clicking here.