The Hindu : Sport : Cook cracks century

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Saturday, Jul 29, 2006

Sport

Sport

Cook cracks century

Ted Corbett

MANCHESTER: In the 12th innings of a Test career that did not begin until March, England's No. 3 Alistair Cook made his third century, his highest score and his second in successive Tests against Pakistan. Surely it cannot be long before this 21-year-old Cook becomes a master chef.

We knew that the lad had no nerves when he turned up at the Cricket Writers' Club dinner last September, accepted the Young Player of the Year award, returned to Chelmsford and next morning, when many kids might still have been staring at the trophy, made a double hundred off the Australians.

Now, less than a year later, he has made the England spot his own after a debut century in India and a second at Lord's last week.

He is also rivalling Don Bradman by scoring a century every third innings.

I can tell you that when I wished Cook a cheerful good evening on Thursday night he stared at me as if I had spoken in Swahili; he was still in the zone he had created during his innings.

He continued on Friday as if he had never been away from the crease. Of course, just three years after his county debut, there are still raw edges and there is one former Test captain who believes he is not ready for international cricket.

But all the signs are that this tall, left-handed batsman will be the best to come out of Essex since Nasser Hussain and go on to destroy all the records created by that other Essex man Graham Gooch.

Pietersen disappoints

Cook began with 65 overnight and the knowledge that even if he made a complete mess of his innings England would be on top after bowling out Pakistan for 119.

It led by 49 and expected Kevin Pietersen would make hay in this summer of perpetual sunshine. He must have thought so too for without adding to his 38 he launched a hefty drive at a ball from Umar Gul and was caught in the gully.

It was a disappointment for the capacity crowd but three hours later they were standing to applaud Cook, who holds out the promise of a tough Ashes line-up: Trescothick, Strauss, Cook, Pietersen and Collingwood.

Add Andrew Flintoff to that mix and you have the most formidable gathering whether Michael Vaughan returns to Test fitness or not.

It was a fluent innings. He twice hit 12 in an over; once off Razzaq and once off Afridi as Pakistan searched for the combination that would conquer determined batting on a pitch now so full of runs that 104 were scored before lunch and 300 passed for the loss of Collingwood on 48, a typical workmanlike knock that will fill the gap until Vaughan returns and with credit if Vaughan's career is finished.

When Cook was given out lbw — batsmen expressed doubts, bowlers saw it as plumb — for 127 after nearly six hours, off 260 balls with 18 fours, there was the chance, at 304 for five for Geraint Jones to play an innings that would redeem all his recent failings.

He could only manage eight before he too was lbw on the margin. Frankly, it would be kind to give him a rest after 91 runs in ten innings.

Ian Bell, whose place in the pecking order has been stolen by Cook, produced just the right innings, filled with straight drives and encouragement to Sajid Mahmood the first of four tailenders.

Mahmood also played an intelligent innings in a stand of 36 that ended just before tea with England 357 for seven and 236 in front.

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