Cook downplays Ashes talk

England batsman Alastair Cook is adamant the one-day series with Australia this summer will have no influence on the Ashes next year.

The England one-day outfit have just seen off the West Indies in a convincing 2-0 series win this month and now attention has turned to their next challenge against the Aussies in a five-match series. With the Ashes series taking place next year, the upcoming one-day battles have been touted as an indicator over how the teams will fair in the biggest rivalry in the sport. However, Cook has insisted the one-day series and Ashes are two very separate entities and this summer will have no bearing on the outcome of next year's series. He said: "It is a big series for us as a one-day team. "Everyone will say it's a precursor (to the Ashes) but whatever happens in this series it's of no relevance to what will happen a year later. That's just the way it is. "It will be great to see some new guys on their team, but it counts for little if you are comparing it to an Ashes."