Cook remembers Ashes "hell"
Alastair Cook had a terrible winter but his summer has got off to a good start
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Thursday, 17, May 2007 10:19
England centurion Alastair Cook says enduring this winter's Ashes "hell" down under made him stronger.
The 22-year-old Essex left-hander put England in a strong position on the first day of the first Test against the West Indies today.
Speaking after the game, he said the emotional strain of enduring a 5-0 whitewash at the hands of Ricky Ponting's Australians had driven his desire to succeed.
"What happened there I wouldn't wish on anyone's worst enemy. Those feelings in certain games, it is still hard to bring it up - a lot of people went through hell on that tour," he said.
"Now we're through that, and you have to look at it and learn from it - you can only look forward from something like that."
Cook, who missed England's unimpressive World Cup campaign in the Caribbean, said he had benefited from time off the international circuit.
"I wish I had been there but I had two months off and worked on my game away from prying eyes with Graham Gooch and Andy Flower. I came back nice and fresh and I hit the ground running," the BBC quoted him as saying.
Cook resumes tomorrow on 102 not out, with England on 200-3.