ENGLAND have kept faith with Alistair Cook by naming an unchanged side for the third Test against Pakistan at the Oval
The out-of-form opener has scored only 100 runs in his last seven Test innings but keeps his place as England name the same 11 for the third successive match.
England beat Pakistan by 354 runs in the opening encounter at Trent Bridge before thrashing their opponents by nine wickets in the second clash at Edgbaston to record their sixth Test victory in a row.
And, despite vice-captain Cook scoring just 41 runs in four innings against Pakistan, national selector Geoff Miller insists consistency is the key ahead of the winter Ashes series in Australia.
“Alastair’s a battler and he’ll battle his way through it,” said Miller, who continues to be without Ian Bell – a potential replacement for Cook but ruled out with a broken metatarsal.
“We were delighted with the way the team performed at Edgbaston in the second Test.
“To put together dominant performances in back-to-back Test matches is a credit to the team’s hard work, but the key remains consistency throughout the duration of the series.
“Tim Bresnan hasn’t been named in the squad but will provide bowling cover just prior to the Test starting before returning to play for Yorkshire in their County Championship match against Durham.”
England team: Andrew Strauss (capt), Alastair Cook, Jonathan Trott, Kevin Pietersen, Paul Collingwood, Eoin Morgan, Matt Prior (wkt), Graeme Swann, Stuart Broad, James Anderson, Steven Finn. Bowling cover: Tim Bresnan. (Eurosport)