Cricket: Alastair Cook back to his best before rain stops play

Published on Wednesday 9 December 2009 23:11

ALASTAIR Cook made the most of England's short ration of cricket, before rain intervened to limit the tourists to less than half of the first day of their tour match against a South African Invitational XI at Buffalo Park.

Cook's share of 142 for three was an unbeaten 66 and he shared 50 stands first with Kevin Pietersen and then Paul Collingwood after captain Andrew Strauss and Jonathan Trott had both gone cheaply. He could reflect with satisfaction on his 96-ball 50, as he continues to recover from a back injury, but insisted too that Kevin Pietersen's 25 was a step in the right direction.

The opener is "managing" his back trouble and is confident he will be able to continue to do so through the remainder of the tour. "I still do feel it. It's quite major when you have two prolapsed discs – but I can move fine out there now," he said.

Cook was taken off the one-day international leg of England's tour because of his injury, first undergoing treatment with the Performance Programme team before playing for them. "It's been really good having that one-to-one treatment for my back, which is what I've needed," he added.

The next stage of Cook's rehabilitation could not have gone much better yesterday on a stodgy wicket which showed the effects of the past week under cover.

With more rain forecast prospects for play on the final day of two today are not obvious.

England have a second two-day match scheduled against the same opponents at the same venue.