20 Dec 2014

Cook sacked as England captain

12:27 pm on 20 December 2014

Batsman Alastair Cook has been dropped as England captain for next year's Cricket World Cup in Australia and New Zealand.

Alastair Cook bats during the third Royal London One Day International between England and India at Trent Bridge, Nottingham. August, 2014.

Alastair Cook bats during the third Royal London One Day International between England and India at Trent Bridge, Nottingham. August, 2014. Photo: PHOTOSPORT

Opener Cook, who has been woefully out of form with the bat, will be replaced as skipper by the middle-order batsman Eoin Morgan.

Cook was at the helm when England lost 5-2 in Sri Lanka in this month's one-day series.

The Essex batsman has toiled all year in the 50-over format, hitting 523 runs in 20 matches at a mediocre average of 27.52.

Morgan, however, has fared even worse with the bat in 2014, averaging 25.45.

But the Middlesex left-hander has an impressive record in the eight one-day matches in which he has captained England, piling up 427 runs at an average of 71.16.

England will warm up for the World Cup by playing in a Tri-Series competition in Australia next month.

The World Cup starts on February 14th, and Morgan's men have been drawn alongside Australia, New Zealand, Sri Lanka, Afghanistan, Bangladesh and Scotland.

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