England vs Pakistan: Alastair Cook labels allegations of ball-tampering 'rubbish' and 'far-fetched nonsense'

The claims were made by the host of a Pakistani highlights show following England's match-winning display on day five at Edgbaston

Alastair Cook dismissed ball-tampering allegations made against England (Getty)

The England captain Alastair Cook has dismissed insinuations his side were ball-tampering during the third Test against Pakistan at Edgbaston as “rubbish” and “far fetched nonsense”.

Cook was responding to the issue – or non-issue to be more accurate - after a Pakistani TV station questioned how his team’s bowlers managed to extract reverse swing on the final day of their 141-run win in Birmingham.

Presenter Dr Nauman Niaz, hosting a highlights show on on PTV, hinted at England using sinister practices while showing footage of Joe Root and James Anderson doing nothing more than shining the ball on their trousers.

To make matters even more awkward Saqlain Mushtaq, the former Pakistan spinner who worked with England during the second Test at Old Trafford and is set to do so again in the winter, was sat silent in the studio while the host honed in on the issue.

England refused to dignify the insinuations with any comment earlier this week and it is understood the tourists have made no complaint to the International Cricket Council about their opponent’s treatment of the ball.

Misbah-ul-Haq, the Pakistan captain, did say at The Oval on Wednesday that England’s ability to get the ball to reverse swing after lunch on the final day at Edgbaston was a “concern”.

However, it is understood that Misbah, whose first language is Urdu, was referring to the fact England have managed to get the ball to reverse swing in this series ahead of the final Test rather than having any specific concerns over ball-tampering.

England can win the series if they avoid defeat at The Oval (Getty)

Cook was forthright in the defence of his team, using his pre-match media conference before the final Investec Test to categorically refute any talk of ball-tampering.

“It’s a load of rubbish,” he said. “Someone showed me the clip on Twitter of Rooty shining the ball – it’s just shining the ball, isn’t it? Let’s be honest. It’s an absolute load of rubbish as far as I’m concerned. It’s a little sideshow and hopefully it stays there.

“It’s so far-fetched that it’s just nonsense. I don’t think it will affect anyone, it certainly hasn’t affected our changing room.”

When asked if he agreed with Cook, Misbah responded: “Reverse happens and sometimes on the last day it happens because the pitch is so dry.

“Obviously we were also a little bit concerned about that, the way it just happened just after lunch because it was not doing anything and suddenly it started.

“It just hasn’t happened throughout the Test match but obviously fifth day is different and it could happen and the umpires are there, the match referees are there and I am not there to check those things.

“I think they are very good bowlers, they know how to take care of the ball on a pitch last day, how to reverse it especially, and so obviously there was concern the way it just swung in that hour but we are not taking anything ahead of that.”

Misbah-ul-Haq admitted concerns wih seeing the ball swinging (Getty)

Cook also used his media conference to name an unchanged team for the final Test, meaning leg-spinner Adil Rashid is overlooked again as England stick with the four-man pace attack that has helped them establish a 2-1 lead in the series.

England know victory at The Oval – combined with India failing to win either of their final two Tests in the West Indies – will take them back to No 1 in the world rankings for the first time since 2012.

Cook can also achieve his 24th win as captain in this final Test, moving him level with predecessor Andrew Strauss to second place on the all-time list behind only Michael Vaughan, who led England to 26 victories.

That would be some achievement for Cook, who this week will be taking charge of his 52nd Test.

After claiming he is now feeling as good in the captaincy as at any point since taking on the job in 2012, the opener looks likely to stay in the job for the foreseeable future.

Captain	Tests	Wins	Win percentage
Michael Vaughan	51	26	50.98
Andrew Strauss	50	24	48
Alastair Cook	51	23	45.09
Peter May	41	20	48.78
Mike Brearley	31	18	58.06
Nasser Hussain	45	17	37/77
Mike Atherton	54	13	24.07

However, he stopped short of stating he would like to keep leading the team until next year’s Ashes series in Australia, insisting his captaincy is reviewed alongside Strauss, now England’s director of cricket, and coach Trevor Bayliss after every series.

“At the moment I’m enjoying it,” said Cook. “The dressing room seems to be in a good place. It’s the most comfortable I’ve felt captaining a side. “The last year or so I’ve really felt comfortable in the captaincy role and everything it brings with it on and off the field. It would seem wrong to give it up quite yet.

“But at the end of every series, I’ll sit down with Trevor and Straussy discuss the future of the side and where we want to go. And am I still the right captain for this team? Is it time to move on after this series or after India in the winter? We always now talk about that for my sanity as well.

“It would be nice to get to the Ashes, certainly. But it’s a long way away.”

Pakistan, meanwhile, know if other results go their way, a win at The Oval could also take them to No 1 in the world.

The tourists are likely to make at least one change to the team that lost at Edgbaston, with out-of-form opener Mohammad Hafeez making way for Iftikhar Ahmed.

Teams

England (confirmed): Cook (captain), Hales, Root, Vince, Ballance, Bairstow (wicketkeeper), Moeen, Woakes, Broad, Anderson, Finn.

Pakistan (probable): Sami Aslam, Azhar Ali, Iftikhar Ahmed, Younis Khan, Misbah-ul-Haq (captain), Asad Shafiq, Sarfraz Ahmed (wicketkeeper), Yasir Shah, Mohammad Amir, Sohail Khan, Rahat Ali.