COOK DESERVES THE FINAL WORD
Record-smashing opener has a chance to lead England to a mighty lead and victory in his last knock
ENGLAND are looking to Alastair Cook to set them on the way to victory one last time at the Oval as he soaked up ovation after ovation.
Cook is riding off into the sunset at the end of this Test, but for now is very much involved in the rodeo.
And with 46 not out overnight and England looking to build on their lead of 154, he can still have a big say in how this game finishes.
The crowd were treated to a special knock of 86 not out from India’s Ravi Jadeja (below) before they rose as one in appreciation of Cook in his final Test innings – as they have done all game.
The prolonged applause was something he was unlikely to forget in a hurry.
“I think he’s played really well,” said assistant coach Paul Farbrace. “He’s showed everything he’s about in this last game. He’s been organised and got stuck in and looks to really be enjoying the scrap.
“He’s been pretty calm but I would imagine the reception he got tonight would have moved him. It moved everyone in our dressing room.
“His calm way of going about things and dealing with things is something we will all miss, and we will miss him hugely.
“That is something come Sri Lanka, there will be a lot of people looking round and realising he’s not there.”
Who will be there is another matter, with Keaton Jennings hardly doing himself any favours with his latest innings. It is always a good idea to use your bat whenever possible, so his decision to leave a Mohammed Shami delivery which cannoned into his middle and off stumps was a terrible error, and one he has made before in this series.
No player who has had as many opportunities as Jennings on their home turf has averaged lower than his 17.71.
And yet he may yet find himself in Colombo, Galle and Kandy by virtue of having a Test hundred scored in India to his name, added to the fact Cook’s departure already has England looking for one new opener. Jennings toured Sri Lanka and the West Indies with the England Lions last winter, at the same venues the senior side will visit this time around, and across 18 innings he passed 50 just once.
But with Surrey’s Rory Burns and Kent’s Joe Denly in the running to replace Cook, Jennings still has plenty of support from the dressing room.
Farbrace added: “I would like to think he’s done enough in a difficult situation to be opening the batting come the first Test in Sri Lanka.
“There’s a slot going at the other end and it’s only a personal view but I’d like to see the selectors stick with Keaton at the top of the order.
“As much as it’s been tough for him, it’s been tough for both teams, and he will be disappointed his series hasn’t panned out with more runs but I really hope the selectors stick with him.”