Cricketeer - Alastair Cook

[dtaai-maai]

Since I've been back in the UK I've renewed my love affair with Test Match Special. I used to enjoy watching the cricket on TV while listening to TMS on the radio. Unfortunately, I can't watch it unless I pay a small fortune for Sky <spit>, but it's still fun to listen while I work or potter around at home.

Today is the last day of the 5th and final test against India at the Oval. This has been an amazing and hard-fought series. Yesterday was one of the most memorable days for English cricket since Botham's Ashes in 1981 and the Ashes win in 2005. This is Alastair Cook's last match before he retires. He has been an opening batsman for 12 years, playing in a record 159 consecutive matches, with 33 hundreds, more than any other English batsman. He is the only batsman to get and 50 and 100 in his first and last test matches.

With Cook still in at close of play on Sunday, I was tempted to go to the Oval on Monday, but the logistics were just too complicated. I wish I had made the effort! He scored 147, in the process becoming the highest scoring left-handed test batsman and fifth highest scoring of any batsman. He and Root, who scored 120, put on 259 runs. At the start of India's 2nd innings they were 2-3 (that's 2 runs for 3 wickets!), with Anderson needing just 1 more to become the leading fast bowler ever.

The emotion around the ground when Cook got his 100 was incredible, and I'm not ashamed to say I had a lump in my throat at home.

[dtaai-maai]

(Thanks, Pete. Is that cricketeer as in 'The Three Cricketeers'...? )

[PeteC]

Below is who I initially thought you were talking about. Showing my age, and lack of cricket knowledge! Pete


https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alistair_Cooke

[dtaai-maai]

I remember Letter from America well, and I had to use Google to check the spelling of the name!

[caller]

Great ending to a great career! You should have gone!