Sam Cook will reportedly be in line for an England call-up for the first Test of the summer against Zimbabwe next month, after an impressive start to the season for Essex.
The right-arm seamer took five wickets in Essex's draw against Notts earlier this week, adding to his total from the first game of the season against Surrey on a featherbed at Chelmsford. It has been reported that Cook will be rested this week by Essex for their fixture against Worcestershire, after conversations between the club and the ECB.
According to a report in The Telegraph, England selectors are looking to manage Cook's workload going into the summer, and as a non-centrally contracted player, they will work closely with Essex in those plans. Managing director of England men Rob Key was at Trent Bridge over the weekend, where Cook was playing and where the first Test of the summer will take place, watching as Cook took 4-44 in the first innings.
🗣️ "Looking at the data, Sam Cook is by so far the best bowler in the County Championship" 👏
— Wisden (@WisdenCricket) March 26, 2025
– 53 matches since 2020
– 217 wickets @ 16.90
– 42.02 strike rate
Does the Essex seamer deserve an England Test call-up this summer? 🏴
🤝 @remitly pic.twitter.com/T9AHkxp5td
Cook was reportedly in line for an England Test debut last year ahead of their series against West Indies after impressing in the Kookaburra window of the County Championship. However, an injury ruled him out of action at a crucial point, and Cook has yet to be named in an England squad. Another factor behind his potential call-up are reports that Chris Woakes is nursing an ankle injury which is set to rule him out of the Championship for the next month. England will also be without fast bowlers Ollie Stone and Mark Wood for likely the entirety of the Test summer.
Key: I thought, 'This is pure skill'
Both Key and England selector Luke Wright have voiced praise for Cook in the last week on the Sky Sports Cricket podcast. “It's great watching high-skill bowlers - it's not just about pace - because what Sam Cook did against Notts... He is around 80mph, but I thought 'this is pure skill' - a bit like [Vernon] Philander when he played.” said Key.
In an episode released yesterday (April 16), Wright said: “If you look at what he’s [Cook] done in county cricket, it’s been absolutely phenomenal. Pace has been a big thing in Australia, but Sam Cook was on the Lions [tour] and we’ve never not thought about him. Over the last couple of years I have spoken to Sam Cook a lot. Each time we’ve picked someone else out of county cricket we have picked the phone up to Sam Cook to explain why.
“We explained to Cooky that he’s competing with the likes of Woakes, [Matthew] Potts, those guys, because we want a varied attack. Those guys bowling with high skill, who are not necessarily 85mph but they still have a definite part to play in our bowling attack. Sam, Woakesy, they are going to be massive going into Australia.”
Cook has an incredible record in county cricket. Since 2017, he's taken 301 wickets for Essex at an average of 18.49. Over the winter, he toured Australia with England Lions, impressing with 13 wickets across three games.
England are expected to select their Test against Zimbabwe in the next few weeks, with the match set to begin on May 22.
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