Now Durham should name their ground after ‘legend’ Cook
HARMY LEADS TRIBUTES TO RETIRING COACH
TOO many Cooks never did English cricket much harm.
A week after Alastair Cook hit a century in his final Test innings, Geoff Cook stepped down as one of the game’s greatest sculptors of talent.
In 27 years at Durham as player, captain, coach and director of cricket, he oversaw the most productive conveyor belt of players into the England side outside the traditional hotbeds of Yorkshire and Surrey.
Cook, 66, oversaw the rise of this handy bunch, who all made it into England’s Test team – Keaton Jennings, Mark Stoneman, Paul Collingwood, Ben Stokes, Scott Borthwick, Phil Mustard, Liam Plunkett, Mark Wood, Steve Harmison, Graham Onions and Simon Brown.
Ashes legend Steve Harmison, called on Durham to name their ground after Cook to recognise his efforts.
Harmison (right, top) said: “I’d name the whole ground after him – if it wasn’t for Geoff, hardly any of the people who brought success to Durham would have been there in the first place.” And Onions tweeted: “What a legend!”
Cook led Durham to backto-back county championship titles in 2008-9 and they landed a third in 2013, despite him missing most of the season following a heart attack.
He said: “I’m proud of the work we achieved during my stay. It’s been a privilege to work for Durham and the memories will be with me forever.” Chairman Sir Ian Botham (left, bottom), who joined the club a year after Cook, said: “Geoff is a true legend of the club and his work has had an immeasurable impact on the success of Durham.”