The Ashes 2013: 1st Test, Day 3 - Five players to watch out for

1. Alastair Cook

Alastair Cook

The England captain has consistently anchored the English batting line-up in the last two years. His contribution to the Ashes campaign of 2010-11 was enormous, and England are not greatly superior to this Australian side if he is excepted.

He failed in the first innings and that exposed the English middle order which crumbled under pressure. He looked determined to weather out the day in the last hours of Day 2 as he concentrated hard against Australia’s tactical bowling. They tried to make him play away from his body in an attempt to replicate the dismissal of the first innings.

He will try to plug one end and allow Kevin Pietersen to dominate the course of play. The entire English batting line-up looks better when Cook gets runs, so his wicket will be critical for Australia’s fate in this Test match.