COOK TO PERFECTION

The ECB have to keep him in the game – he’s got too much to give to lose him says Steve Harmison

I CAN’T speak highly enough of Alastair from the minute I first met him. The way he deals with people, he’s got time for everybody and he’s a terrific guy.

From the moment he arrived in India I was impressed with his character, his calmness and levelheadedness which stood him in good stead throughout his career as a batsman, captain and leader.

It was always a reassuring sight as a fast bowler to get into the changing room after bowling all day and then seeing Alastair walking out to bat with Andrew Strauss. You knew once they got past the first 20 balls or so you would have your feet up for at least 90 overs.

As a person and a cricketer he is one of the very best. The numbers will tell a story, but he has given so much, and the way he has conducted himself has been fantastic.

We are from completely different backgrounds in terms of upbringing and schooling, I barely went to mine! But we spent a lot of time together, he loved his darts and we played a fair bit of that in the subcontinent, so I got to know his character and the sort of person he was.

He was an obvious and natural choice to be a guardian of one of your children. I look at him now with his own children and he’s a great father, a great role model and I’m delighted that he’s godfather to my Charlie. The ECB have employed him as a player and as a captain and after a bit of time away they need to find a way to make sure he stays in English cricket because he’s got too much to give to lose him to the game. That would be sad.

English cricket needs people like Alastair Cook and it would be a shame if he was lost to it.

How good it would be if he were to spend some time with Under-17 or U-19 players. They could learn so much from listening to him and being around him.

He’s done everything in the game and he speaks in a clear way. I hope he uses that.