Wonderful start for Captain Cook


Alastair Cook was pleased to mark the start of his one-day captaincy with a victory but warn his England side there was more hard work to come.

In his first match as Andrew Strauss' heir in ODIs, Cook oversaw a pleasing 110-run win over Sri Lanka, built around innings from Craig Kieswetter (61) and Eoin Morgan (45) and a dramatic four for 18 from James Anderson.

But although Cook admit things could hardly have gone better at The Oval, he remains cautious of a side who hammer England in Saturday's Twenty20 at Bristol.

"It doesn't get much better than that," said Cook after Sri Lanka was bowled out for 121 in chase of a rain-revised target of 232 in 32 overs.

"It's a really good start, but let's not gets too carried away about how I did or the team did.

"It's just a good start and we have to keep our foot on the floor. We're not in it for personal plaudit; we're in it to win games of cricket.

"But I consideration it was an outstanding presentation from all our bowlers. For Jimmy up front to get those 15 for four and get their danger men out got us ahead of the game."

The only disfigurement on Cook's day was his own innings, which was ended after three balls when Lasith Malinga had him strangle down the leg-side for just five.

It was not the responses Cook was looking for to those who have question his appropriateness for limited-overs batting, but he react sensibly.

"That's the game, isn't it?" he said.

"There's not anything you can do about it. It's almost certainly the most trying way to get out but I shouldn't have nicked it so fine I suppose."

Sri Lanka captain Tillakaratne Dilshan was sorry to see the back of the magnificent weather that his side enjoy in the nets, but approved they were simply second best in the first outing of the five-match series.

"They batted well, put in a huge score to pursue and it was not easy batting second to get 230," he said.

"We had to take probability and it didn't work. The thing is for the last two days has been sun but when it comes to the match it is rainy and overcast which is usually a help to the English bowlers.

"But that is not a reason, we didn't bat well and we didn't bowl well, that is why we lost the match."

The match was 41-year-old Sanath Jayasuriya's 445th and last before departure, ending a 22-year career at the highest level.

He made just two in his final knock but was awarded a rank prolonged applause by the crowd and was able to add a final wicket to his tally when he attentive Ian Bell lbw.

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