Adam Lyth selection a 'tough call' admits Alastair Cook

Alastair Cook has hinted that Adam Lyth will find it tough to convince the selectors he is worth a place in England’s Test team this winter.

Lyth struggled in the home Tests against New Zealand and Australia this summer and the century he scored against the Kiwis at Headingley was the only time he passed 50 in the seven matches.

Talking about England’s struggle to find an opening partner for Cook since Andrew Strauss retired in 2012, the captain told the BBC: “It hasn’t been ideal. We haven’t got off to the strongest starts over the last 18 months or so. It’s a tough place to bat. That’s why the selectors have tough calls. I would love someone to jump out and nail that slot.

“Adam did not score the amount of runs he would have liked, but he played a major part in the side, he was a brilliant catcher and the selectors have a tough decision to make.

“He has scored a lot of runs for Yorkshire over the last couple of years and in his first seven Tests he has found it tough against two very good attacks and yet he scored a hundred in one of them. As a captain you have a say [in selection]. I don’t have a vote but they listen to your opinion and decide.”

Cook himself did not make a century in the Ashes and said: “It was a really tough series for the top order on both sides. [Australians] Chris Rogers and David Warner scored runs but there was a lot of playing and missing.