Alastair Cook desperate to secure a 2-0 series win over New Zealand
Alastair Cook says it is "vitally important" England complete a clean-sweep series win over New Zealand.
Last Updated: 24/05/13 7:56am
Cook's side produced a devastating bowling display, led by Stuart Broad's 7-44, last Sunday to wrap-up a 170-run victory at Lord's. The match had been delicately poised a 12.30pm on the fourth day with New Zealand facing a target of 239 to win the game before Broad and James Anderson ran through the Black Caps' batting line-up.
And Cook says that impressive performance has given England will plenty of confidence ahead of the second Test, which starts on Friday.
Asked how important it is that England complete a 2-0 series win, Cook told Sky Sports: "It is vitally important. You want to win every game that you play and you want to win any series involved in.
"That is the challenge we have ahead of us now and we want to try to win. It sounds pretty simple but there is a lot of hard work and a lot of skill and toughness needed to win it."
Asked whether the performance at Lord's had bolstered belief in the squad, he said: "It was and it is. Obviously those last 20-odd overs at Lord's - I don't think we will ever forget that. How well we bowled and the atmosphere that created, and the momentum we gained.
"Clearly that has gone now, although we will take confidence from it. We know that if we can put New Zealand under some pressure we can get some rewards for it. But we have to start well tomorrow."
Cook, who hit 32 and 21 in the first Test, believes the conditions at Headingley will be similar to those at Lord's, though he is not banking on it being a bowler's paradise.
"Over the last couple of years the pitch has got better here and it has produced some high-scoring games," he said. "This year in the county championship there have been some high-scoring games as well.
"It is probably quite similar to Lord's: it is more to do with the overhead conditions. If it is sunny it can be really nice to bat and if it is cloudy it can be tough to bat. So it is pretty similar to Lord's and you have to fight through those sessions when they arrive.
