ALASTAIR Cook has insisted he is confident he can cope with the extra pressure of captaining England in an Ashes series.

Cook, from Wickham Bishops, is preparing to lead his country into battle in today’s first Test against Australia, at Trent Bridge.

The 28-year-old has captained England in nine Tests after taking the mantle from Andrew Strauss last August.

Cook has led his country with distinction and has scored more than 1,300 runs as skipper, with an average of 69. This will be the first time the Essex batsman has captained England in an Ashes Test.

The former Maldon Cricket Club batsman says he can deal with the added responsibility of leading them out against Australia.

Cook said: “I think you’re always under pressure when you’re playing for England.

“Clearly, being captain in an Ashes series will mean that the pressure will be heightened.

“But I’ve managed to deal with everything that has been thrown at me so far and hopefully it’s something I can do again.

“Who knows how it’s going to go?

“You just keep trying to do the right things at the right time and keep applying yourself in the right way when you’re playing.

“If you do that, you’re leaving nothing to chance.”

Cook has been a prolific batsman during his England career, scoring more than 7,500 Test runs and 25 centuries.

The former Great Totham Primary School pupil hit a total of 766 runs in the 2010-11 Ashes and boasts a Test batting average of 61.96 since the start of that series.

Cook is hoping to add to those impressive statistics when the first Test gets under way tomorrow.

But he admitted that helping England retain the Ashes this summer will mean more to him than any personal accolades.

“I don’t know many players who aren’t driven by stats,” added Cook, who became the first captain to hit a century in each of his first five Test matches in charge.

“But I’d swap not scoring many runs with picking up that urn at the Oval.

“It’s already been a big summer, with the Champions Trophy as well.

“But it goes up a notch with the Ashes now.”