England vs. Australia: Alastair Cook and Players That Must Shine

Australia continue to nip at England's heels.

The home nation remains huge favourites to capture a third successive Ashes victory, but the Aussie visitors continue to make life extremely difficult for Alastair Cook and his team. A fast start during the first session of the Second Test saw Australia smash England's top order into another disappointing smidgen of runs.

The Baggy Greens' dominance soon ended with an Ian Bell century. Aside from Ryan Harris and a late flurry from Steven Smith, Michael Clarke's bowlers struggled to gain consistent momentum and allowed the hosts an easy route back into the game.

This ever-changing series has outlined a number of players who must improve their form as a matter of urgency. Important players have failed to shine across the opening two tests and are halting their team's chances of victory. Who is in need of a speedy improvement? Let's take a look.

Alastair Cook

Cook's decision to review Brad Haddin's minor edge won England the First Test. Similarly, he forced James Anderson into bowling 13 consecutive overs at Trent Bridge, a call that saw the Lancashire player blitz through Australia's final batsmen.

While Cook's tactical ability is shining through, his presence with the bat has been disappointing. Although the captain managed a useful 50 in the second innings of the First Test, he posted just 13 runs in the first session. Similarly, his 12 during the first innings of the Second Test set England up for a poor start.

Cook has appeared preoccupied and lacking focus when batting. The 28-year-old needs to remove the pressure from his team with greater consistency and prioritise his play with the bat before pulling strategical strings on the pitch.

Kevin Pietersen

England so often cruise to victory when Kevin Pietersen racks up a decent amount of runs. Like Cook, this series has seen him post just one positive score from three innings. Pietersen knows exactly what it takes to win the Ashes but has so far failed to inspire his younger teammates with a prolific showing.

Most disappointing of all, the 33-year-old was caught behind for two runs in the first innings of the Second Test. He faced just four balls and barely had time to grip the bat before sitting down again. His First Test opening innings were also stumped on 14 runs, even if his 64 in the second innings helped England to an crucial win.

Both Pietersen and Cook have managed to do just enough to ensure a 1-0 lead. If they played to their full potential, England would storm ahead of the visitors.

Peter Siddle

Although it is harsh to suggest Siddle has played badly throughout the Ashes, he is certainly a player who needs to shine if Australia are to win.

The fast bowler’s haul of eight wickets pushed Australia to the brink of First Test victory. In the Second Test, his inability to blast through England’s middle order ensured the first innings went on longer than it should have. If it wasn’t for Steven Smith’s three wickets in five overs at the day's conclusion, Siddle would have played a huge part in throwing away a major advantage.

As we approach the second day of the Second Test, the aforementioned players have plenty of work to do before they will receive unanimous plaudits. Both teams will be confident of securing the next win and, with some individual fine-tuning, can severely improve their chances of glory.