A BOY’S OWN HERO
Thousands flocked to witness Cook’s fairytale farewell ton & rewarded him with seven ovations
ALASTAIR COOK has never been a bar-emptier, but he has certainly become a groundfiller as thousands flocked to The Oval to be a part of his seven ovation army.
And boy did he put on a show for the extra 6,000 fans that bought tickets once they knew he was not out the day before.
A 33rd Test hundred taking him free and clear of Steve Waugh was everything the queuing punters could have dreamed of – and thanks to Cook there was a legs workout thrown in for good measure.
They were on their feet when he walked out to the middle, 46 not out, and within moments they were back on their feet in appreciation of a 58th Test fifty.
Cook knows the drill all too well, and once he had played himself back in the runs started to flow a little easier and before long he was in the 70s and going past Kumar Sangakkara up into fifth on the all-time list of run scorers and the top left-hander, cue the third ovation.
It was emotionally and physically sapping stuff for those watching let alone Cook himself, but when Jasprit Bumrah let a wild throw go for four overthrows, the noise and the fourth ovation was something else altogether.
Perhaps Cook (below, being clapped off) even lost his composure for a moment as his heavily pregnant wife Alice looked on with one of his daughters in her arms and they joined in the celebration that lasted for a good three minutes.
It was a rare moment in British sport where there was plenty of soppiness and sentimentality, but it all came about as a result of sheer excellence from Cook.
The perfect intersection for any sport is where the brilliant drama that stops and speeds up your heart, and makes you shout, rage and makes you feel alive is also so good very few people could actually do it.
And even though Cook might be calling it a day, there is little doubt that he remains the best opening batsman in England.
There was a fifth ovation at the lunch break, and a sixth as he returned to the field ready to turn his ton into a ‘daddy’ just before his third child arrives.
All the while Joe Root (above) was batting beautifully alongside him as they added 259 together for the third wicket.
Root’s own century scoring exploits would have taken centre stage on any other day, especially with his own family watching on, as he enjoyed a return to form to collect a 14th Test ton, but he knew it wasn’t about him.
Hanuma Vihari on debut got rid of both men inside two balls to guarantee himself as a quiz question answer in future, and it sparked the seventh ovation for Cook who got a handshake from every Indian player before climbing the steps with his pads on for the last time.
The declaration set India 464 to win and gave England the chance to fly out of the traps as James Anderson drew alongside Glenn McGrath with 563 Test wickets while Stuart Broad got rid of Virat Kohli first ball.
The final celebration will come on day five.