Alastair Cook's England statistics after ending his international career with a fairytale century in his final Test
We take a look at Alastair Cook's statistics for England after ending his international career with a fairytale century in his final Test.
Alastair Cook signed off from Test cricket in style at The Oval, making his 33rd century in his final Test innings 12 years after reaching three figures for the first time on debut...against India.
In doing so, England's highest ever runscorer became only the fifth man to hit a century in their first and last Tests, and the first Englishman.
Heading to the Oval, Cook needed 147 runs across both innings to move up to fifth on the all-time list of Test runscorers and it was no surprise to see him achieve that feat thanks to the phenomenal mental strength that characterised his career at the crease.
Here we look back in his career in numbers, six of his best innings, how he rates compared to the all-time greats and many more facts about the most prolific opening batsman ever.
Cook's career in numbers
161 - Cook's appearance at the Oval means he finishes his career with 161 Test caps.
12,472 - Test runs, Cook overtook Sri Lanka's Kumar Sangakkara during his century at the Oval to move up to fifth in the all-time world list headed by India's Little Master Sachin Tendulkar with 15,921.
45.35 - his Test batting average after his final game.
294 - his career-best score, against India at Edgbaston in 2011 when England went to number one in the world Test rankings. Typically, Cook was more concerned afterwards with the six runs he did not score rather than all the ones he did.
33 - Test centuries, a record for an Englishman, the last coming in his final Test. Five of those are double-hundreds, including three of his last six tons.
37,308 - minutes he batted for in Test cricket.
2 - the number of innings he needed to record his first Test hundred. He made an unbeaten 104 at the second time of asking on debut against India in Nagpur - after 60 at his first attempt.
6,000 - His journey, in miles, flying over three continents from an A tour in the Caribbean at 24 hours' notice to fill in as an emergency replacement batsman in that first Test.
35 - The number of innings without a century during Cook's uncharacteristic drought between May 2013 and March 2015.
59 - The number of Tests in which Cook was England captain.
14 - Cook's age when he made a century as a guest, making up the numbers for the MCC, against his own Bedford School team.
4 - Cook's Ashes series wins, including two as captain.
766 - runs scored in the 2010-11 Ashes series, when England won 3-1 in Australia - the Three Lions' only series win Down Under since the 1986-87 series.
92 - one-day internationals played by Cook, with five centuries and 19 fifties. He also played four Twenty20 internationals.
Six memorable Cook innings
recalls six of the best innings in his record-breaking career:
NAGPUR 2005/06 (104 not out, v India)
On debut, less than two days after flying 6,000 miles from an A tour in the West Indies to replace Marcus Trescothick, a 21-year-old Cook put his first Test half-century on the board. In his second attempt, he reached three figures for the first time - a remarkable achievement which served notice of an extraordinary career to come.
BRISBANE 2010/11 (235no, v Australia)
The most memorable of all his centuries perhaps, this double gave England the belief they needed at the start of their first Ashes series victory down under in almost a quarter of a century. Andrew Strauss' tourists looked washed up at the Gabba, with a 221-run first-innings deficit. But Cook, his captain and Jonathan Trott had other ideas - closing out the stalemate on 517 for one declared. He batted a mere 625 minutes, facing 428 balls.
EDGBASTON 2011 (294 v India)
Purpose-driven, as England went to the top of the world rankings with an innings-and-242-run win, this demands inclusion too for sheer volume. As with his other tour de force efforts, there was so much to admire if relatively little to excite in almost 13 hours of crease occupation. Afterwards, typically,
Cook was most concerned not about the runs he had scored but the six more he did not.
AHMEDABAD 2012/13 (176, v India)
No glorious victory, or even a draw, for this forerunner of the marathon 263 he would undertake three winters later against Pakistan in similar conditions in Abu Dhabi. His Ahmedabad statement of intent was the first of Cook's three centuries on a tour which brought England their first series success in India since he was in nappies. Following on, he played a near lone hand - Matt Prior provided most support - and it appeared in vain en route to a nine-wicket defeat. But once again, he had demonstrated what was possible - and after two more brilliant Cook hundreds in the next two Tests, England went on to prevail 2-1 on his maiden tour as captain.
LORD'S 2015 (162, v New Zealand)
There was rich context here, at the start of an Ashes summer and with plenty of chattering still going on about Cook's captaincy amid much administrative change above him. He dug in manfully and with great skill, for his first home century in almost two years - and after Ben Stokes took his cue with a blistering century, the fastest ever at Lord's, England turned likely defeat into a dramatic, heartening and emphatic win.
MELBOURNE 2017 (244* v Australia)
It was in a losing cause in the series overall and this was his last Test hundred before his ton against India at The Oval. It was an important innings too, stopping the rot and the prospect of a whitewash on a dismal Ashes tour, far removed from the glorious one of 2010/11. Cook faced 409 balls across nearly 11 hours, Joe Root's 61 his nearest rival. It was also an important reminder at the time, for those who said Cook was finished. He was not.
Top five Test scorers ever
- Sachin Tendulkar (India, 15,921 in 200 Tests)
As arguably the most complete batsman of the modern era, Tendulkar's penchant for scoring heavily all around the wicket ensured he thrived in any environment he faced. The 'Little Master' had the added burden of shouldering the expectations of a cricket-mad nation, which bestowed an almost deity-like status upon him. But he handled the pressure with his customary grace for nearly a quarter of a century as he racked up a slew of records that may never be surpassed. - Ricky Ponting (Australia, 13,378 in 168 Tests)
So often Tendulkar's equal, the bullish Ponting overcame a turbulent start early in his international career to overhaul the milestones set by compatriots Steve Waugh and Allan Border. While he may not have had the captaincy prowess of his two predecessors, only Sir Don Bradman is rated higher with bat in hand among Australians. There were few weaknesses, if any at his best, and he is regarded as one of the greatest pullers and hookers the game has ever seen. - Jacques Kallis (South Africa, 13,289 in 166 Tests)
Kallis' bulky frame did not give the impression of an all-action cricketer but his 292 wickets and reliability at slip mean it is not possible to limit the conversation to solely his batting skills. As was the case with Tendulkar and Ponting, Kallis was the wicket bowling attacks prized the most although the South African rarely gave it away. While he lacked the flair of some of his contemporaries, his orthodox technique earned many fans among the classical followers of the game. - Rahul Dravid (India, 13,288 in 164 Tests)
So often in the shadow of Tendulkar, Dravid nevertheless carved out his own hugely successful legacy to guarantee his place in the pantheon of all-time greats. Much likeCook, his willing endeavour and concentration were his greatest attributes and made up for any deficiencies in his technique, so much so that once set, 'The Wall' drove many a bowling side to distraction. Unlike Tendulkar, Dravid registered at least one century in every country he batted in. - Alastair Cook (England, 12,472 in 161 Tests)
Much has been made in the last week of Cook only having three shots in his armoury - the cut, the pull and the nudge - but he has used them to such an extent that he is the most prolific left-hander of all-time, having overtaken Sangakkara. He may be the only batsman on this list to finish with an average lower than 50 but there are not too many tougher challenges than batting regularly in England at the top of the order. His presence here does not feel out of place.
More random Cook facts
- In his early years Cook was a more gifted chorister than he was a cricketer as his family loved music more than they did sport. He spent five years at St Paul's Cathedral school singing treble in the cathedral choir. His voice featured on several CD releases, and he also sang with some famous names in live performances - including Dame Kiri Te Kanawa - and performed for the Queen.
- Cook and his two brothers would play cricket in the back garden on a pitch 11 yards long - half the proper length - in kit borrowed from their father, who batted for the village team.
- He was just 18 when he made his first-class debut for Essex and he made an unbeaten 69 in the second innings, batting in partnership with former England coach Andy Flower.
- Cook made history with a century on his Test debut against India in March 2006, after being called up as an emergency replacement when he had been in the West Indies on a tour with the ECB National Academy. His ton made him the 16th Englishman to score a Test century debut.
- Cook is a keen musician. By the age of eight, he was learning the clarinet and at Bedford School, where he was granted a scholarship, he also learned to play piano and saxophone.
- When Cook was just 14, the MCC arrived to play his school Bedford's first XI. The guests were a man short, so he stood in for them and not only made up the numbers but ended up contributing a century as well. Cook went on to break all batting records at Bedford, making 19 centuries in total.
- He has a Test bowling average of seven. The Trent Bridge Test against India in 2014 was played on such a flat, lifeless pitch that Cook relieved his weary attack at the end of day five and took the ball himself. He proceeded to indulge some comedy run-ups, including an impression of Bob Willis, before unexpectedly having Ishant Sharma caught down the leg-side by Matt Prior. Even more surprisingly, he took three wickets in an under-19 Test series against South Africa.
- There are two other famous namesakes for Alastair Cook - although the spelling for both differs. Alistair Cooke was a British journalist known for the former weekly radio series Letter from America, while Alistair Cooke, Baron Lexden, is a British historian and a member of the House of Lord's.
- Cook suffers from ophidiophobia. He might not flinch at the prospect of facing 90mph bouncers from the world's best fast bowlers, but he once confessed that he was scared of snakes - not ideal for a man whose job takes him to a number of countries where they are rife. "I have a recurring dream in which I'm getting eaten by them," he told the Evening Standard in 2011.
- He was born on Christmas Day. Cook arrived in the world on December 25, 1984. Two other notable Ashes winners of recent vintage share the birthday - Marcus Trescothick (1975) and Simon Jones (1978)
- Aged 16, Cook met Alice Hunt, the daughter of a local farmer - and the childhood sweethearts tied the knot on 31 December 2011, driving away from their wedding in a John Deere tractor.
What could Cook do next?
County Cricket
Cook's increased availability last summer was a key component in Essex claiming a first Specsavers County Championship title for 25 years. The opener made seven appearances for the Chelmsford outfit, hitting 667 runs at an average of 66.7 and notching up three centuries to set Chris Silverwood's side on their way to success. Cook's Essex appearances have been few and far between over the last decade due to England commitments, and he may relish the prospect of a full season on the county circuit and has signed a new three-year contract with Essex.
Non-playing cricket roles
Cook worked closely with former Essex and England opener Graham Gooch early in his career, and could follow his mentor into coaching. Cook's former opening partner Andrew Strauss is now the England and Wales Cricket Board's director of cricket, and could presumably find a more administrative role in his set-up for Cook should he decide against a future as a coach.
Farming
Cook once appeared on BBC One's Countryfile to discuss his love of farming, and he regularly works on a farm near Leighton Buzzard to escape the pressures of cricket, saying in 2016: "I think farming does help my cricket in the way that I'm not lying on my sofa thinking 'what's my technique doing here?'"
Media
Cook has always appeared at ease in front of the cameras, even during some of his more difficult moments at England captain, and could follow other former skippers Mike Atherton, David Gower, Sir Ian Botham, Nasser Hussein and Michael Vaughan in choosing to move into broadcasting.
Music career
Cook sang in the St Paul's Cathedral boarding school choir as a child and even performed in front of the Queen. He also played clarinet in the school orchestra, and could follow in the footsteps of former England batsman Mark Butcher, who released an album in 2010.