Cook extends Essex contract

The England and Essex batsman Alastair Cook has extended his contract with the county for a further two years.

"I'm delighted to have signed a deal to continue my relationship with Essex for the foreseeable future," Cook told the club's website. "I hope to play for England for as long and as much as I can but it's important to have the support of everyone at Essex, who are a county moving forward very quickly under Mark Pettini and Paul Grayson [coach].

"It's nice that I've been able to secure my future before going away [with England] and hopefully Essex will always be there for me.

"Winning the Friends Provident Trophy at Lord's was undoubtedly one of my highlights of 2008. Having grown up playing for Essex since the Under-12s it was a special moment and hopefully the first of many."

Cook departs for Antigua today with England's Stanford 20/20 squad.