Monday 4 May 2015 11:06, UK
Alastair Cook believes comments made by incoming ECB chairman Colin Graves gave the West Indies extra motivation going into the three-match Test series against England.
England, who went into the series as clear favourites for a comfortable win, could only end up drawing the series 1-1 after the Windies won the third and final Test in Barbados by five wickets on Sunday.
But despite another poor England performance on overseas soil, skipper Cook said he was unhappy with Graves, who back in March, declared the West Indies "mediocre" and warned Cook's team there would be an inquiry should they not win the series.
Graves, who starts work as Giles Clarke's successor later this month, said: "I'd certainly be disappointed if we don't win the West Indies series, because I am pretty sure the West Indies are going to have a mediocre team.
"A lot of their stars are going to be playing in the Indian Premier League anyway, not in the Tests, so we should win that series.”
Following the Test defeat on Sunday, Cook said: "A comment's a comment, it's his right as chairman to say what he wants, but it's never ideal against an opposition you're about to play.
"It gives everyone else a team talk, we know that. But we can't control anything about that. So as the players we get on with it.”
However, Cook was also realistic about another dismal England display which saw them bowled out for 123 over the weekend, after slumping to 39-5 in their second innings.
Cook added: “If we'd played to our potential and taken our opportunities it would have been irrelevant.
"Every series we play we try to win so of course it's a failure in that way.
"You can talk the talk but we need to deliver in the middle. For the majority of the series we did a lot of good stuff but when the pressure came on in the third innings we didn't bat very well."
But the captain believes there is light at the end of the tunnel, stressing: "The best England side I played with, started by losing out here 1-0 in 2009.
"We had an amazing run after that and got better and better. There are little similarities.
"I think we've got some really good players, and hopefully we can replicate the journey the other side went on."
