TOPIC:

The great English opener Alistar Cook has announced his retirement....fantastic opener over time who I thought at one stage would push towards 50 test 100s.....unfortunately the 100s dried up over the last few years.....leaves a big he in Eng batting....esp since 12 guys have been used since Strauss retired and Eng are still looking for a replacement......good for Aust next year that is for sure.

Great International Career.
1.12,254 test runs...Highest by Englishman.2800 more than 2nd G Gooch.
2.160 tests with 158 consecutive tests.Highest by Englishman.
3.32 test century's.Highest by Englishman.
4.5 ODI century's.
5.2006 debut in Nagpoor India maiden test century.
6.Ashes winning captain in Au.2010/11 when we simply couldn't get him out.

gtrxuone wrote: Great International Career.
1.12,254 test runs...Highest by Englishman.2800 more than 2nd G Gooch.
2.160 tests with 158 consecutive tests.Highest by Englishman.
3.32 test century's.Highest by Englishman.
4.5 ODI century's.
5.2006 debut in Nagpoor India maiden test century.
6.Ashes winning captain in Au.2010/11 when we simply couldn't get him out.

Strauss was captain on the 10/11 tour.

He also went in to bat when the bowllers were at their quickest and best with the pitches at their liveliest which is to his great credit. Some of the deliveries bowlled by Johnson to dismiss him will remain in my memory for a long time. Congratulations on a great career.

ArkRoyal wrote: He also went in to bat when the bowllers were at their quickest and best with the pitches at their liveliest which is to his great credit. Some of the deliveries bowlled by Johnson to dismiss him will remain in my memory for a long time. Congratulations on a great career.

None better than the ball Ryan Harris bowled him with first ball of the 2nd Innings at the WACA in the 2013/14 Ashes series AR...close to the ball of THIS century so far!

Congrats to the former Willeton opener Alistair Cook on a fine cricket career he reminded me much like many of the old time English openers very hard to remove and valued his wicket.

gtrxuone wrote: Great International Career.
1.12,254 test runs...Highest by Englishman.2800 more than 2nd G Gooch.
2.160 tests with 158 consecutive tests.Highest by Englishman.
3.32 test century's.Highest by Englishman.
4.5 ODI century's.
5.2006 debut in Nagpoor India maiden test century.
6.Ashes winning captain in Au.2010/11 when we simply couldn't get him out.

Cook Captained England for 17 series.Had a record of 8 wins 4 losses and 5 drawn series.Won the Ashes two times home 2013 and in AU 2015/16..Away wins in AU,RSA,India.

One of England's greatest-ever batsmen, there's certainly no doubt.
However, I wouldn't be surprised if Alastair Cook has jumped before he was pushed, with The Oval Test being his allowed farewell.
Aside from his 243 against the Windies at Edgbaston just over a year ago and his superb unbeaten 244 in the Boxing Day Ashes Test, Cook's form in the past 22 months has been very ordinary.
In the 2018 calendar year, for example, he's scored 298 runs at an average of just 18.63.
howstat.com/cricket/Statistics/Players/P...at.asp?PlayerID=3349

BH -- yep, I remember that ball from Harris -- his loss was a big one for Australia when we went to England.

AD -- all true, but he did make those big scores you mentioned, as oppossed to Root, whom is much more talented and yet struggles to turn 50s into 100s. As you know, in this latest series, the Indian seamers have bowlled well.

Good point, Ark, it's been over a year since Joe Root scored a Test century, coincidentally in the same innings that Alastair Cook scored his double ton against the Windies.
Since that time, Root has passed 50 in 11 of his 26 Test innings, but has only 194 runs in the current England-India series.
Conversely, Virat Kohli has 544 runs, albeit from one more innings.

AD: beautifully put as usual -- I agree with all of that

Kohli has played very well. At one stage I thought he might really threaten the runs record in a series, but I think he will fall short now. What is the List?

Bradman 974
Hammond 904
Taylor 829
IVA Richards 800?
GS Chappell 700 in 1975-6
A Cook 700 in Australia that year