Cook tunes up for another demanding summer
[ad_1] Hampshire 351 for 7 dec (Adams 87, Siddle 3-62) drew with Essex 300 for 6 ( Cook 84, Bopara 84*) Scorecard Alastair Cook began his summer with a composed half-century to allay worries over his form but missed out on threef igures as Essex drew with Hampshire at the Ageas Bowl. Opening batsman Cook appeared in complete comfort against Hampshire's bowling attack, which boasts international quality in Kyle Abbott, Fidel Edwards and Brad Wheal, during his score of 84. Context had to be provided, however, by the dead nature of a match that was ruined by rain and bad light and never went beyond the first innings. Cook, who averages 77 in the Specsavers County Championship since the beginning of the 2016 season, has had his place in the England Test side questioned having only passed fifty once in seven matches in Australia and New Zealand. But the 33-year-old batted himself into form with a typically stylish innings - reaching his half-century in 80-balls - before Chris Wood di...