Cricket: Century restores confidence of Cook.

Byline: BY RICHARD GIBSON in Port Of Spain 

ALASTAIR COOK is relieved to have put his century drought behind him as England head into the must-win final Test at Queen's Park Oval.

Essex opener Cook struck an unbeaten 139 in the bore draw in Barbados earlier this week, which ended hopes of a series victory for the tourists and means they need to defeat West Indies here to salvage a 1-1 stalemate.

It was the 24-year-old's first hundred at Test level since December 2007 and halted a string of 11 unconverted half centuries, including a score of 94 in the first innings at Kensington Oval.

"To finally get one was certainly a relief after 14 months of not scoring a hundred, and 12 months of not scoring one in any form of cricket," admitted Cook.

"No matter how many times you talk about it, until you actually do it the doubts are still there."

Jitters got the better of him when he reached the 80s on day one, but he was able to reach an eighth hundred at Test level on day five as the match meandered to its inevitable conclusion.

"I definitely got more anxious about it in the first innings," said Cook. "I was that desperate to do it. The second innings was under slightly different circumstances, and I definitely changed the way I played leading up to the 90s and in the 90s."

England are hoping for an improvement - or more accurately a reduction in quality - in the pitch in Trinidad, having been presented with two ultra-friendly batting surfaces since losing in Jamaica.

"I think pitches should offer a little bit of everything, whether they're flat for a couple of days and then deteriorate or start off with a bit in and become easier,"

Cook added. "We want to watch exciting cricket, and that's when all results are possible rather than just one."

Although England are attempting to concentrate on levelling the campaign, events in Lahore have inevitably been in their minds. Cook's former England Under-19s coach Paul Farbrace, now assistant coach of Sri Lanka, was one of those who suffered shrapnel wounds in the attack.

"It is a horrible situation - and when people have lost their lives, talking about a cricket match feels pretty insignificant," said the England opener.

"Stuff like that does hit home how quickly life can change.

"It is only a cricket match, and security has to be at the forefront of our thoughts when we go to places. Every case has to be assessed at the time, and security will be in people's minds when they make decisions on whether to go to places on the subcontinent at the moment.

"Obviously we experienced that when we were deciding whether to go back to India before Christmas. We made the right decision then to go back as a squad, but you have to take everything in context."

England's practice yesterday was switched away from the Queen's Park Oval to a local school ground because of unsatisfactory net facilities, which has been a recurring theme of the tour.

Changes in the bowling unit will be contemplated. But one man guaranteed his place is Graeme Swann, whose recently acquired position of England's number one Test spinner is reflected in the fact he will play this match and forego the one-day series to have elbow surgery.

"It's something that has been monitored for some period of time, because he has had a chronic issue," confirmed Hugh Morris, England Cricket managing director. "He has really soldiered on with it and taken five-wicket hauls in both the last Test matches. It was clear he needed an operation at some stage - and given the amount of cricket we have got over the next six months, we feel this is the best time for him to go back, get the operation and recover for the English season. It reflects his status as a key member of the England party."

One man not considered fit for quite contrasting reasons is Swann's Nottinghamshire colleague Samit Patel, who was yesterday axed from the squad for the upcoming limited-overs series in the Caribbean because of his unacceptable physical condition.

Nottinghamshire all-rounder Patel was due to arrive in Trinidad next week for a Twenty20 contest and five one-day internationals but will remain with England Lions, in New Zealand, and has been replaced in the party by Yorkshire's Adil Rashid. The 24-year-old had been given numerous warnings about his fitness and has paid the price for showing a deterioration since the pre-Christmas tour of India.

"Samit was given a programme; he's had two fitness tests since, and the results of those fitness tests have not been satisfactory," said Morris. "The latest one was in New Zealand a couple of days ago, and the decision has been taken to keep him there rather than bring him here. It is a harsh lesson for Samit; we believe he is an extremely talented cricketer."

COLLATED Summaries: First 'A' Test Match: Queenstown: England Lions 493-5 dec (I J L Trott 138 no, S R Patel 101, R W T Key 90, L J Wright 55) & 158-1 (I J L Trott 75 no, R W T Key 66 no) v New Zealand A 430 (J M How 190 no, J E C Franklin 92, P J Ingram 73, M Davies 4-54) New Zealand A drew with England Lions.

CAPTION(S):

England's Alastair Cook during a nets session at St Marys Sports Ground in Port of Spain yesterday Picture: GARETH COPLEY/PA