Cook to call on Ashes grit in New Zealand

Former captain Alastair Cook is placing stock in one titanic recent knock as England prepare for a two-match showdown against New Zealand.

The prolific opener admits form deserted him in a brutal fashion during the summer's 4-0 Ashes loss in Australia before suddenly resurfacing in the penultimate Test in Melbourne.

Cook scored a defiant 244 in the only match Australia didn't win, reminding critics of his ability.

Now England's greatest Test run-scorer (12,005) hopes to harness that sort of form in the looming series starting under lights at Eden Park on Thursday.

"To bat as badly as I did for two months, and then for 10 hours bat as well as I've ever done, is quite strange," he told journalists.

"To be able to bat like that, you've got to be doing the right stuff mentally and still be on it."

Cook, a 152-Test veteran, admits there were times he questioned his ability at the highest level and he sensed the criticism mounting.

"It is an easy story to write when a slightly older player isn't scoring runs - 'Is he going to give up? Is he thinking about it?'

"When you keep piling the effort in and you're not doing very well for two months in a big series, you start doubting yourself.

"To keep going like that and then deliver shows you have something."