Alastair Cook to miss Essex Championship opener with hip soreness

Former England Test skipper Alastair Cook will miss Essex's opening Specsavers County Championship game against Lancashire starting this Friday due to left hip soreness.

According to a statement from the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB), Cook has been receiving treatment for the problem for several weeks.

"A scan this week has ruled out serious injury, but he will undertake an injection in the upcoming days to help settle his symptoms," the statement read.

This match would have been Cook's first first-class outing since the Test series against India, which they lost 0-4 in December, after which he stepped down from the post of England skipper.

"I've got a sore hip, which is not getting right," ESPNcricinfo quoted Cook as saying. "We're going to go for a different bit of treatment and hopefully it will be all right for Somerset. It's just frustrating to miss the first game."

The left-handed batsman, who led England in record 59 Tests, doesn't want his injury to get worse even though his next Test assignment is three months away.

"That's the key in one sense [not taking chances], the first Test match is in July. Ultimately the hip's not quite right, so it needs to get right before you can play. It's been going for a month or so now," he said.

South Africa will be touring England for three ODIs, three T20Is and four Test matches starting from May 24.