Masterful Cook’s 172 puts Essex in the hunt

IT SAYS everything about the enduring ability of Sir Alastair Cook that he made a masterful 172 for Essex yesterday against a Somerset attack that had not conceded more than 200 in any previous Bob Willis Trophy innings. What a performance this was from England’s record runscorer and what a batsman Cook (below) remains, at 35, as he devotes what is left of his extraordinary career to churning out yet more runs and winning trophies for his beloved Essex. But whether his seventh hundred at Lord’s will help Essex win this competition remains to be seen as his late dismissal on the third day left this final tantalisingly poised. Cook appeared to be taking Essex to the first-innings lead that would prove decisive should this final be drawn, until he became the fifth wicket to fall after tea, caught low by Craig Overton at second slip off Lewis Gregory. That left Essex on 271 for six at the close, needing another 31 from 22 overs for that all-important lead before they reach 120 overs and the end of their first innings. Game very much on, with the side who concedes that lead this morning having to make all the running over the last two days to conjure a victory. Whatever happens, this was vintage Cook, demonstrating his desire, hunger, devotion to his county and sheer quality remain as strong as ever two years after his Test retirement. This was like a Test, too, during a hostile opening burst from Overton, who elicited the only shaky moments Cook had, edging over the slips on 10 and just short of them on 18. That was as close as Somerset got to dismissing the man who denied them their first Championship in the Taunton decider last year until, with the late-season sun shining in the batsmen’s eyes and leading the umpires to consider taking the players off, Cook made his first real mistake. He walked off to the rich applause of his team-mates after more than six hours of pure class. ‘I’m not making excuses but the light was tricky,’ said Cook. ‘The ball came out of the dark of the pavilion into the sun, but it was a good ball and if I’d left it everything would have been all right. To be fair, Jamie Porter (Essex nightwatchman) made it look easy!’ Such was Cook’s off-side fluency that he brought up his 50 with a cover-driven four off Gregory and reached his 67th first-class hundred with a square driven boundary off Jack Leach. Cook, who dominated a stand of 170 for the second wicket with Tom Westley, then steadied the Essex ship with Ryan ten Doeschate after Somerset had given themselves hope. Essex’s England’s past in Westley and their England future in Dan Lawrence fell to rash shots, and when Paul Walter was lbw first ball to Gregory, Essex had slipped to 208 for four. The departures of Ten Doeschate and Cook to the second new ball increased Essex’s sense of unease. But there was no unease about a legend who has averaged more than 50 for Essex since that glorious farewell to England at the Oval in 2018. ‘I enjoy playing with this bunch of lads,’ said Cook. ‘It’s just good fun. I was scared of walking away from the game when I retired from Tests because it’s a big hole to fill, but I have loved hanging out in this changing room and it’s all the better when you win.’ Thanks to Cook’s dominance of Somerset, Essex remain right in the hunt to win this one.