Alastair cook and England – this alignment looks perfect in England's long Cricket history. Alastair cook a better left-handed opener or a better captain. An astute reader, a Genius Captain and his ability to play long hours innings in his remarkable career for England was reason of his legendary career.
In 143 years of Cricket history many greats have come from English Country but no one could have match the calibre of this southpaw in his career. Words like determination, grit, patience and elegant stroke maker perfectly fits on Alastair cook Cap. He had everything towards the end of his career in his arsenal that a young Chap looking to do for England team in his career. Not just a greatest opener for England but cook was the reason for the success in England cricket over the past two decades. From the most capped player in the history of England Cricket to the most number of ashes trophies under his cap as a skipper.
The fastest to 10000, 11000 or 12000 runs and most number of centuries in England cricket history as a Captain clearly defined why he was greatest left-handed batsman for England cricket team. Back in 3rd September,2018 When Cook drop the curtains of his career it was the end another great batting legend in the modern day cricket. Let us take a look back at the top five greatest innings in Alastair cook career.
1. Alastair Cook 263 Vs Pakistan, Abu Dhabi, 2015:
Alastair cook and Asian tracks this is a deadly Combination. Alastair cook has been the highest scoring batsmen on the Asian pitches in the history of cricket with 2710 runs. This time England was touring to Pakistan to play three test match series. First test match of the series and after winning the toss the hosts decided to bat first and post the massive score on the board in their first innings while declaring their innings at 523/8.
With such a score on the board Pakistan never thought the match would end in a draw. Tourist took on the lead in their first innings with an absolute carnage from their greatest left-handed batsman Alastair cook who had smashed another double hundred while scoring 263 in 528 balls and batted out for 836 minutes. No Pakistan bowler troubled him during his magnificent knock as England declared their first innings at the score of 598/9.
The more surprising part of the match came in the second innings when the hosts was all out at the score of 173 in their second innings. With the chase of 98 in the fourth innings it was clear England will be winner of the first test match. But rain has interrupted the play and the match was ended in a draw. Though the match was draw but Alastair cook with his absolute carnage was adjudged with the man of match.
2. Alastair Cook 235* Vs Australia, Brisbane, 2010:
The golden years in England cricket history. They were nearly impossible to beat on and they performed like predators. Another double hundred came in the first test match of ashes series. The ashes series rivalry is one of the greatest rivalaries in the world of cricket. After winning the toss the tourist captain decided to bat first against decent pace attack of Australians.
But it had all wrong as hosts have restricted them at the score of 260 in their first innings with some top-class bowling from birthday boy Peter Siddle who took a Hattrick to welcome England in their territory. But Alastair cook well contributed in their first innings with valuable 67 run knock to help England to reach some respected score.
Australians in their own style completely changed the picture of match with the massive lead of 221 runs in their first innings while post 481 runs in their first innings. With such lead it was two results either draw or victory but victory was more obvious with the first innings performance.
England team has started their second innings while hosts were confident to clean them up and won the game easily. But England team fought back and completely destroyed the bowling of Australians and showed the signs this we are here to make the history in your territory. Alastair cook with unbeaten 235 to not only confirm the match will ended in draw but also showed the glimpse what had to come in this ashes series later on. England team has declared their second innings at 517/1 with their top three batsman scoring centuries. Although the match was draw but this double hundred from Alastair cook was the highlight of the match and get the huge ovation around the cricketing world.
3. Alastair Cook 189 Vs Australia, Sydney, 2010:
5th test match of the series and Australia was trailing by 2-1 in the series. After winning the toss Australia decided to bat first with the hopes of having big score. But followed next was the downfall of Invincible Aussies as they have crumbled down to 280 run in their first innings.
Australians were looking to restrict the tourist one more time but Alastair cook was in the red hot form and smashed another match winning knock of 189 runs to not only put his team into the driver seat but also confirm England will not be going to loss the match from position they were their first innings 644 runs in their first innings.
With pressure of losing the match and famous ashes trophy Australians were nowhere near the dominance of England team and pacers as their frontline pacers James Anderson and Chris Tremlett share 3 wickets each in the second innings to lock the victory of England team and ashes series win after very time by 3-1. But all in all it was somewhere not possible from the flamboyant flag bearer Alastair cook during the entire ashes series.
4. Alastair Cook 294 Vs India, Edgbaston, 2011:
After winning the 50-over world cup team India long toured of England with four test matches, five One-day International and one T-20 in the tour. But followed next was disaster for team India as they had not won the single match on the tour against hosts.
This epic knock from Alastair Cook came in the 3rd test match of the tour. With already trailing by 2-0 in the series England Won the toss and Invite the tourist to bat on and team India had continued the same form in the match as they were in the earlier test matches.
With the deadly combination of pacers from England Stuart broad and Tim Bresnan share 4 wickets each in the first innings to breach the defense of star line up one more time and restricted them at the score of 224 in their first innings to remove the hopes they have any chance in the match.
Coming into the bat the hosts took away the game and series from the tourist with just one big innings total from their batsman but once again Alastair Cook stole the limelight with the match winning knock of 294 which is also the highest ever score of Alastair Cook in his career. Cook single handily teared apart the bowling of Indian seamers and helped England team post on 710/7 to declared their first innings.
With such massive lead and to save the series team India had double pressure to overcome and they have failed it badly once again in the second innings at the score of 244 runs and England team had won the match by 242 runs and series also 4-0 later on. But this special from Alastair Cook was widely appreciated around the world during and after the series.
5. Alastair Cook 244* Vs Australia, Melbourne, 2017:
For the one last time Alastair Cook say goodbye to remarkable career in his own style and left the legacy which will take decades to overcome. Alastair Cook and his affair for batting against Australia is very old cook loves to score runs against Australia in their own territory. Both the teams were playing another famous ashes series and Australia already took the lead of 3-0 in the series and looking to do white wash the tourist.
England team had went to retain the ashes series but they failed vey badly and also the 4th test match of the series if cook had not played that unbeaten knock of 244 runs. Australia after the winning the toss decided to bat first and they have been restricted at the score of 327 in their first innings from the England frontline pacers.
Australians looking to do the same but England greatest opener had some other plans to save his team from the big humiliation and cook has the scored another double hundred towards the end of his memorable career with the knock of 244*. Australians never had the answer to class to cook during his innings as England team had post 491 in their first innings and removing the hopes of losing the match as the match was ended in a draw but it was not possible from that unbeaten knock of 244 from Alastair cook when every other England batsman struggling to score runs.
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