Pietersen the difference, insists Cook as England heed lesson

The previously prolific top order started 2012 in dreadful form, with Pakistan bundling them out for under 200 four times in six innings as they completed a 3-0 whitewash.

England picked up in the subsequent one-day series and a handful of Test specialists came out to Sri Lanka a week early to hone their technique against spin.

But high expectations were dashed as they made just 193 in the first innings in Galle, eventually going down by 75 runs and extending their losing sequence to four in a row.

England finally posted their first major total of the year in the second Test, making 460 and then chasing down a winning target of 94 for the loss of just two wickets on Saturday.

Cook, with 94 and 49 not out, was central to England’s performance, while Kevin Pietersen took the man-of-the-match honours with a stunning 151 and 42no on day five.

Now Cook is confident things are back on track.

“The bowlers have been outstanding all winter, but the batters haven’t got the runs we’d have liked,” he said.

“The Test match was normal service. We batted long periods and gave a chance to our bowlers to rest up.

“A score of 460 in the first innings is what you need to win games.

“It was a good team effort, but Kevin was outstanding...it was a match-winning effort.

“All the batsmen struggled to score quickly and he came in and got a 150 at almost a run a ball. That was really the difference between the two sides.

“The top three of me, Straussy and Jonathan Trott is there to give a platform for our stroke players like Kevin, Ian Bell and Matt Prior. We haven’t done that on these two tours but in this game we did.

“It was a good way to end the tour with a win.”

Cook did not shy away from the fact England have sustained some battle scars over the winter programme.

Having moved to No 1 in the ICC Test rankings last summer, the plan was to show they could also be the best in the sub-continent. Although that plan has not come to fruition, Cook believes England could be a better side for their struggles.

“You never want to lose a Test so to lose four in a row was very disappointing,” he said.

“We set out this winter to crack sub-continental conditions.

“But we’ve learned as a side again. We’ve taken a few steps back but sometimes you have to do that in your career.

“Watch the way Kev struggled against Pakistan, the way he worked on his game and ironed out the flaws so he could play the way he played (Saturday). That shows we have to keep working.”

England arrived back home yesterday after spending the last month in some of the most difficult sporting conditions in the world.

Searing heat and energy-sapping humidity have made their job in Sri Lanka one of the hardest they have come across and Cook confesses he is ready for a change of pace.

“This is a very hard place to win a Test,” he said. “It’s been 35 or 36 degrees pretty much for five days and the humidity really takes it out of you. There’s some tired legs here and I’m looking forward to getting back to the cold and wearing a coat again.”