Cricket owes debt to Cook and Anderson says chief exec Harrison
By DAVID CHARLESWORTH
ENGLISH cricket owes a ‘great debt of gratitude’ to Alastair Cook and James Anderson, according to England and Wales Cricket Board chief executive Tom Harrison.
Cook ended his recordbreaking international career this summer having amassed 12,472 runs in 161 Tests while Anderson became the leading Test wicket-taker among fast bowlers of all-time this year.
While reflecting on the past 12 months, Harrison said: “It is important to focus on some true icons of our game.
“English cricket owes a great debt of gratitude to Alastair Cook and to James Anderson, one with the bat and the other with the ball, who have been lynchpins of the Test side for well over a decade and are two of our all-time greats.
“Alastair and Jimmy embody everything about what it means to wear the cap and represent your country.
“Their commitment and resilience has been exemplary, and their achievements have been immense. They richly deserve all of the accolades that have come their way.”
England will host the World Cup as well as the men’s and women’s Ashes series next year in what Harrison termed “a once-in-a-generation summer for cricket fans in this country.”
He added: “Heading into 2019, our sport is in a very strong place.
“The appetite for cricket in all its forms in this country is enormous. Test attendances continue to thrive and this year we had our best occupancy rate since 2005.”