A Cook classic at MCG
Alastair Cook reeled off a record-breaking double century to put England in full control of the fourth Ashes Test with a formidable 164-run innings lead in Melbourne on Thursday.
The phlegmatic opener emphatically bounced back after a lean run of scores to finish the day unconquered on 244 off 409 balls. At the close, England were 491 for nine. It was an innings that defined a compact left-hander for whom run gathering is secondary to the need to keep batting and batting.
And Sydney Morning Herald's Greg Baum aptly portrayed the Cook classic:
Joe Root departed to a top-edged hook, Dawid Malan lbw despite an inside edge that neither he nor Cook detected, and so made no referral. Cook doesn't deal much in edges. He bats.
Jonny Bairstow was out to another top edge, cutting at Nathan Lyon. Moeen Ali came in to play a short, strange innings, throwing the bat at fast bowlers and slow, setting the match on an edge.
Cook played as if he barely noticed. On he batted.
Chris Woakes joined him for an hour-and-a-half of competent obduracy. Steve Smith spilled a sharp catch from Cook at square leg, then when back in slips, a snick from Woakes flew between him and wicketkeeper Tim Paine.
Australia grew edgy. Cook grew more assured. This is what he does: he bats.
Slowly, then quickly, Australia frayed at the edges. Sensing it, the Barmy Army found extra voice. Returning a ball to Josh Hazlewood, Shaun Marsh almost lobbed it on his head.
Cook? He batted. Smith set three short covers for him, then four on the hook. Cook had a look, then middled a straight drive. He must have got it for Christmas, which is also his birthday. He loves it.
Drinks came and went, and tea, and drinks again, and when play resumed, Cook was in position before any other player, creased re-marked, bat at the ready.
Because that's what he does; he bats. Sometimes he hit balls to fieldsmen, sometimes past them. If it didn't get past this time, it would next. It was all of a piece, all batting.
Six hours passed, then nine and ten; Cook batted. Records went by the board. Cook batted on.
Many men know how to play shots, only some can bat. Cook's edge is his lack of edge. As a man, there is nothing in him that can be stirred up, no angst or fretfulness. As a batsman, he has no vanity to play upon. He has had a lean series, but he would always be out there again, and as an opener, at a known time. That was all that mattered. He bats, you see.
The match changed, but Cook's expression did not. The Australian bowlers tired, but Cook didn't. The crowd drifted away, but not Cook. He was there to bat. The Australian captain's well ran dry, but Cook's did not.
All he had to do was bat. And when play resumes on Friday morning, that will be him out there, batting.
Comments