Cook vows to continue as ODI captain

alastaircook

Calls for Cook to walk away as skipper have intensified after England slipped to an 87-run defeat to Sri Lanka in Colombo on Tuesday, completing a 5-2 series victory for the hosts.

The 29-year-old opener is badly out form with the bat and has failed to pass 50 in his past 10 ODI innings.

His latest failure came when when he edged Suranga Lakmal to Mahela Jayawardene - playing his last match in any format in Sri Lanka - when on 32.

But despite the mounting pressure, Cook has vowed to continue in the role.

"I'm working as hard as I can, I'm as hungry as ever to score runs, so I'll go on," he told Sky Sports.

"I've always had an attitude to play cricket and compete. Yes, it hasn't gone well over the last 12 months both personally with the bat and in one-day cricket.

"I would feel very wrong to walk away from it. If it's taken away from me, I'll feel very disappointed, but I certainly won't be giving it up."

Tillakaratne Dilshan was England's biggest nemesis in their latest loss as he contributed 101 to Sri Lanka's total of 302-6.

England made 215 in response, with Joe Root's 80 the only highlight of an otherwise miserable scorecard for the tourists.

Cook feels the team have a better understanding of some players ahead of next year's Cricket World Cup, but concedes England were second best throughout the seven-match series.

"We weren't good enough," he added in his on-pitch interview. "Sri Lanka were very good and Dilshan with his hundred set us too many to chase.

"It's been a disappointing team performance, but people have come through individually on this tour. Joe Root, Chris Woakes and Chris Jordan, and we've also learnt a bit about some other players in this squad ahead of the World Cup.

"Bottom line is we haven't been good enough in this series and been outplayed."

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