Cook cool, calm and collecting
ALASTAIR COOK was described last night as “calm” but “enjoying the scrap” of trying to bow out with a century in his final Test.
The opener was unbeaten on 46 at the close as England finished on 114-2, a lead of 154 over India.
But assistant coach Paul Farbrace insisted Cook, below, whose wife is expecting their third child today, was the coolest man in the dressing room.
“It would be fantastic if he was to get to a hundred and he has played really well so far and showed everything that he’s about in this game,” said Farbrace.
“He has looked very organised and got stuck in despite it not being easy out there – it has been quite tough.
“But he looks as though he’s really enjoying the scrap. He has been pretty calm and I’d imagine
that the reception he got when he went out to bat probably moved him – it moved everybody else in our dressing room.”
Farbrace added: “It’s fantastic support but he just seems to cope with everything that’s put in front of him.
“As much as we’ll miss his runs and his catches, I think that calming influence among the team and the staff, that is what we’ll miss when he’s not in the dressing room.”
The Oval are charging £35 for adults and £1 for under-16s in an attempt to boost the crowd on day four with the chance of seeing Cook’s 33rd and final Test century.
But if chief selector Ed Smith has his way, Cook’s knowledge will not be lost, with plans mooted to keep him in an advisory role when he returns to Essex next season.
“It will be terrific for England cricket to tap into him as a resource,” said Smith. “I’ve had the odd chat with him about bowlers and batters this summer.
“But next year, maybe we can have something a bit more formal where he comes and really advises on the players he has been playing against.”
Fellow opener Keaton Jennings suffered another failure but Farbrace said he remains likely to keep his place for the winter tour to Sri Lanka in October.
“It has been tough for anyone against the new ball,” said the coach.
“He knows he wants big scores and he knows he wants hundreds and fifties, so he will be disappointed he has not got decent runs.
“But I think he has done enough in a difficult situation to be opening the batting in the first Test [in Sri Lanka].”
Jimmy Anderson picked up one demerit point and was fined 15 per cent of his match fee for dissent, after arguing with umpire Kumar Dharmasena on Saturday.