The Autobiography
Page 27
At its best, sport sucks people in. It has a strange gravitational pull. I was not quite on the outside looking in, since I was watching friends and former teammates put everything on the line in the sort of pressurized situation we all live for as international sportsmen, but distance gave me a different perspective.
I had never seen Lord’s so energized; it had the feel of Edgbaston on a particularly mad day. Chris, my father-in-law, was there with his son Henry. The couple in front of them walked out with four overs remaining because they could not bear to see England lose. The sense of disbelief spread to our dressing room, where someone announced: ‘If Stokesy pulls this off it will be the best finish ever.’
As future schoolboys will hopefully be able to recount, England – well, Ben Stokes – needed 15 to win in the final regulation over. The truth of Andy Flower’s phrase, about teams or individuals revealing themselves, was reinforced when Stokesy refused to take a single from the first two balls of the over. He was effectively taking responsibility for four years’ work, and precise performance planning.
He looked spent, but was sending out the message, ‘I will do this.’ That took incredible nerve and confidence. Earlier in his career he would not have had the mental discipline, strength and courage to take it so deep. I usually hesitate about using such a word in a sporting context, but it was heroic. It made me so proud of him.
I do not wish to claim credit for any aspect of his career, but he came into our England side as a very rough diamond. He – no one else, despite those around him – has turned himself into the world-class cricketer we saw that day. He delivered when it mattered most, which, to reiterate another eternal truth, is the essence of mental strength.
We’ve subsequently seen many scenes of people cheering the freakish deflection off his bat as he dived to make his ground, which reduced England’s target to three off the final two deliveries. The Essex team (Quinny apart, for obvious reasons) were no different. I jokingly exclaimed through the din, ‘I never get overthrows like that.’
We had the luxury of losing our minds. Stokesy was thinking clearly. He changed his approach and even went against a fundamental aspect of his character, by refusing to take the risk of the ‘hero’ shot over the top. He preferred to concentrate on getting bat on ball, and ensuring that, at worst, England would have that super over.
He succeeded, despite Trent Boult’s comparable brilliance, in having the calmness to complete run outs of Adil Rashid and Mark Wood from those two final deliveries. Could Boult play the Stokes role for New Zealand, and haul his team over the line, almost single-handedly? The jury was still out when he conceded 15 runs in his super over.
Though Chris Woakes was a viable alternative, Jofra Archer was the most obvious choice to bear the burden. It was another reminder of how professional cricket has changed during the course of my career. When I started, it was all about Test cricket. Jofra has learned his skill primarily in the shorter form of the game. He has made himself a world-class death bowler, under the contrasting pressure of being a high-profile franchise player.
No matter the colour of the ball, margins are extremely fine at the highest level. I didn’t think the offside wide should have been called from Archer’s opening delivery, but he refused to be flustered even when Jimmy Neesham hit him over midwicket, in the general direction of Regent’s Park, for six. Two to win off the final ball, and everything was in slow motion.
Martin Guptill hit the ball to midwicket. Jason Roy swooped, collected and threw. Buttler broke the stumps with a split-second to spare. The bubble burst and suddenly there were bodies everywhere. It was only later that evening that I felt able to reflect on the bigger picture, and my hope that an aspiring professional cricketer would be out there thinking, ‘I’ll have some of that. I want to test myself. I will work harder.’
This was a team’s moment in time. It is quite possible that that winning eleven will never play together again. Sport moves on, advances at pace. I was in the privileged position of knowing what it meant to the individuals involved. Though the triumph was collective, examples of personal achievement were compelling.
Liam Plunkett made his Test debut in Pakistan in 2005, when I was a prospect, in the squad, accumulating experience. He had his problems, leaving Durham for Yorkshire, and totally reinvented himself, from an aggressive seamer who sprayed it a bit, to a must-pick middle-over bowler, capable of consistent accuracy under pressure.
Aware that his place in the squad was being challenged, he evolved again in the build-up to the tournament. He developed versatility and subtlety, working on the slower, back-of-a-length delivery and the slower ball bouncer. By redefining himself, he proved himself as a player and person. Professional sport can be a cold place, but when such a genuinely good guy does well it is a cause for celebration.
Eoin Morgan, together with Andrew Strauss and Trevor Bayliss, should take all credit for the transformation of England’s one-day team. To be honest, he was given a hospital pass when he took the squad into the 2015 World Cup. That didn’t end well; I will always remember Straussy promising, ‘These next four years will be different.’
It took someone with his foresight to make the decision to change, and force England to take white-ball cricket more seriously. Eoin’s team consciously tried to be trendsetters, to play aggressively and aspire to scoring 400 from their fifty overs. He had the confidence to trust his players, even when they were occasionally questioned for failing to bat out their allocation.
The leadership he showed, in facing up to the criticism, and suggesting he’d prefer the positivity of making a total of, say, 330 from forty-three overs, was exceptional. Watching from afar, his captaincy was authentic. He possessed the talent and presence of mind to back up his fearless philosophy. Sometimes, arriving at the crease with England on 20–2, he would take the brave option and immediately walk down the wicket, knowing he would be slaughtered if it went wrong.
Ironically the final, tied on 241, was old school. If ever there was anyone you’d have cried out for as a captain, to see us home with 80 from 100 balls, it was Jonathan Trott. That’s ironic, but it is no coincidence that the one consistent factor between the heroes of 2019 and our team, which became world number one in 2011, was Andrew Strauss.
He’s a special bloke, the most rounded person, in my experience, ever to come out of cricket. He is one of those great leaders who excel in different roles and environments. As my captain, he had vision and drive. As my boss, as England’s director of cricket, he demonstrated decisiveness and insight. As my friend, he showed kindness and empathy.
He took me, as a young opening batsman, under his wing. His wife Ruth acted similarly with Alice, guiding her through the balancing act between sport and family. They were our guiding lights. Ruth’s loss, to cancer, was tragic. It shook us, as a couple. It impacted on the entire cricket community. Her goodness will endure, through the charitable foundation established in her name.
I met Andrew a couple of days after the World Cup final, at the premiere of The Edge, a film about our number one team. He had undergone a traumatic year, but I could see in his eyes the quiet satisfaction of a job well done. There were no airs, no graces, no grand gestures. He has never shown out much. That’s probably why we get on so well; we are similar in character.
It was a poignant occasion, on a number of levels. About a dozen of us were there; it was the first time in several years we had got together. Watching the film reminded us of the amazing experiences we had shared. Every player has his own story, but we all felt the power of the question, posed to Trotty in a subsequent question-and-answer session:
‘Would you do it all again?’
‘In a heartbeat.’
He broke down attempting to explain how he missed batting with the likes of Straussy, me and KP, but those three words summed everything up. We were so privileged to play for England. We were blessed to share such highs and lows. Life isn’t perfect, but time lends perspective. We were united by
more than what separated us.
Professional sport can take a forbidding toll. I would ask any fan, tempted to condemn a player who has failed as being ‘useless’ to watch a sequence in the film, in which Trotty is explaining his inner thoughts on getting out in Brisbane, where I’d seen him weeping in the dressing room. He was caught at deep square leg and the commentator was criticizing him for ‘dumb cricket’.
Trotty had batted with tears in his eyes. He had a searing headache. His system had shut down. His mind was blown. He was not conscious of walking back towards the pavilion. His testimony was deeply personal, but relevant to us all. We are not robots. Other elements can creep into our game. The mental health of any performer is precious.
Years pass, careers come and go, but the team is a stake in the ground. It anchors us to our achievements, reconnects us with who we were, and why we were able to enjoy our moment in time. I was lucky to play with so many exceptional cricketers, but, ultimately, runs and wickets are not of paramount importance.
I’ve learned to go beyond the present, and cherish memories that will be a golden thread, running through the rest of our lives.
1. My final Test. ‘Just go out and enjoy it,’ they told me. ‘It doesn’t matter how many runs you get.’ Sorry, but it did.
2. Reaching my final Test hundred was just the most amazing way to finish.
3. My first time playing against an international side as a nineteen-year-old against the West Indies, at Arundel.
4. New kid on the block. People sat up and took notice when I scored 214 for Essex against Australia, at Chelmsford in 2005.
5. A magical feeling; it doesn’t matter if it’s your first or your last. Not much has changed in those twelve years, perhaps just a few more grey hairs.
6. Trevor Bayliss and Paul Farbrace: a complementary coaching combination.
7. With Peter Moores, a friend in hard times. I argued against his sacking as England coach, the second time around.
8. In the nets with Andy Flower. When he made me England captain, he reminded me, ‘Just because you’ve got the armband it doesn’t mean you know everything.’ He was right.
9. Jimmy and I, walking off during my last Test match. My best friend in cricket and an absolute pleasure, standing at slip and watching a genius at work.
10. England v South Africa. My twentieth Test century.
11. Never the most elegant mover! Doing everything I can to make my ground, including a terrible dive!
12. Home is always close to my heart. Loading sheep with Tess the dog, closely supervised by Elsie.
13. Celebrating my Test hundred with KP against the West Indies, at Bridgetown in 2009. I enjoyed batting with him as he took all the scoring pressure off. I could go about my business under the radar.
14. One of my favourite Test wins at Trent Bridge against Australia. Winning by just fourteen runs – you can see the euphoria and relief!
15. My last Test match as captain against India. Cricket is about the highs and the lows, and a tough tour was the final straw.
16. My first Test hundred for almost two years. It wasn’t pretty but it was one I desperately needed.
17. One of my most satisfying innings, on my way to carrying my bat for 244 not out in the Boxing Day Test at the MCG in 2017.
18. The final champagne shower after my last Test match at the Oval. It was always a lot colder than it looked!
19. Graham Gooch, the childhood hero who became my mentor. He dispensed what he called ‘The Knowledge’, and stressed that as an opener, ‘you have the opportunity to set the game up’.
20. Tour life, Jimmy, the girls and another airport.
21. Being knighted by the Queen is one of the most surreal and humbling experiences of my life. I don’t think I will ever get used to being called Sir Alastair.
22. Sharing the winning feeling with Alice and Elsie after the Ashes in 2015, a very special moment.
23. We’ve been lucky enough to travel the world and see many places, but we’ve loved nowhere more than Gavin and Stacey inspired Barry Island!
24. Jack, who was due on the last day of my Test career, looking extremely pleased with himself here for standing up.
25. Elsie and Isobel helping me pack for going on tour.
Appendix: A Career in Numbers Compiled by Max Wadsworth
Overview
SIR ALASTAIR NATHAN COOK
Born: 25 December 1984 (Gloucester)
Teams: England, Bedfordshire, England Lions, England Under-19s, Essex, Marylebone Cricket Club
Nickname: Cookie, Chef
Playing role: Opening batsman
Batting style: Left-hand bat
Bowling style: Right-arm slow
Height: 6ft 2in
First test v India, Nagpur, 1–5 March 2006
Last test v India, the Oval, 7–11 September 2018
Batting and Fielding Statistics
Bowling Statistics
Test Matches
All Test Innings
Year Country Venue Runs
2006 India Nagpur 60
2006 India Nagpur 104
2006 India Mohali 17
2006 India Mohali 2
2006 Sri Lanka Lord’s 89
2006 Sri Lanka Edgbaston 23
2006 Sri Lanka Edgbaston 34
2006 Sri Lanka Trent Bridge 24
2006 Sri Lanka Trent Bridge 5
2006 Pakistan Lord’s 105
2006 Pakistan Lord’s 4
2006 Pakistan Old Trafford 127
2006 Pakistan Headingley 23
2006 Pakistan Headingley 21
2006 Pakistan The Oval 40
2006 Pakistan The Oval 83
2006 Australia Brisbane 11
2006 Australia Brisbane 43
2006 Australia Adelaide 27
2006 Australia Adelaide 9
2006 Australia Perth 15
2006 Australia Perth 116
2006 Australia Melbourne 11
2006 Australia Melbourne 20
2007 Australia Sydney 20
2007 Australia Sydney 4
2007 West Indies Lord’s 105
2007 West Indies Lord’s 65
2007 West Indies Headingley 42
2007 West Indies Old Trafford 60
2007 West Indies Old Trafford 106
2007 West Indies Chester-le-Street 13
2007 West Indies Chester-le-Street 7
2007 India Lord’s 36
2007 India Lord’s 17
2007 India Trent Bridge 43
2007 India Trent Bridge 23
2007 India The Oval 61
2007 India The Oval 43
2007 Sri Lanka Kandy 0
2007 Sri Lanka Kandy 4
2007 Sri Lanka Colombo (SSC) 81
2007 Sri Lanka Colombo (SSC) 62
2007 Sri Lanka Galle 13
2007 Sri Lanka Galle 118
2008 New Zealand Hamilton 38
2008 New Zealand Hamilton 13
2008 New Zealand Wellington 44
2008 New Zealand Wellington 60
2008 New Zealand Napier 2
2008 New Zealand Napier 37
2008 New Zealand Lord’s 61
2008 New Zealand Old Trafford 19
2008 New Zealand Old Trafford 28
2008 New Zealand Trent Bridge 6
2008 South Africa Lord’s 60
2008 South Africa Headingley 18
2008 South Africa Headingley 60
2008 South Africa Edgbaston 76
2008 South Africa Edgbaston 9
2008 South Africa The Oval 39
2008 South Africa The Oval 67
2008 India Chennai 52
2008 India Chennai 9
2008 India Mohali 50
2008 India Mohali 10
2009 West Indies Kingston 4
2009 West Indies Kingston 0
2009 West Indies North Sound 1*
2009 West Indies St John’s 52
2009 West Indies St John’s 58
200
9 West Indies Bridgetown 94
2009 West Indies Bridgetown 139
2009 West Indies Port of Spain 12
2009 West Indies Port of Spain 24
2009 West Indies Lord’s 35
2009 West Indies Lord’s 14
2009 West Indies Chester-le-Street 160
2009 Australia Cardiff 10
2009 Australia Cardiff 6
2009 Australia Lord’s 95
2009 Australia Lord’s 32
2009 Australia Edgbaston 0
2009 Australia Headingley 30
2009 Australia Headingley 30
2009 Australia The Oval 10
2009 Australia The Oval 9
2009 South Africa Centurion 15
2009 South Africa Centurion 12
2009 South Africa Durban 118
2010 South Africa Cape Town 65
2010 South Africa Cape Town 55
2010 South Africa Johannesburg 21
2010 South Africa Johannesburg 1
2010 Bangladesh Chattogram 173
2010 Bangladesh Chattogram 39
2010 Bangladesh Dhaka 21
2010 Bangladesh Dhaka 109
2010 Bangladesh Lord’s 7
2010 Bangladesh Lord’s 23
2010 Bangladesh Old Trafford 29
2010 Pakistan Trent Bridge 8
2010 Pakistan Trent Bridge 12
2010 Pakistan Edgbaston 17