«Breaking News» England dominate fourth day of fifth Test against India as Alastair Cook hits emotional century

Well, there have been worse days at the cricket. In fact, there cannot have been many better ones for England even in the rich history of this famous old ground. The fourth day of the final Test at the Oval truly had everything.

It can safely be assumed the 19,300 people who made the effort to be here on a Monday had full value for money, that’s for sure. For this was a day to tell your grandchildren ‘I was there.’

The sight of Alastair Cook making an emotional century in his final innings for England and soaking up the sustained applause of a crowd who had willed him on to every run was more than enough excitement for most days.

Alastair Cook produced an emotional total of 147 runs in his final Test innings for England against India at The Oval on Monday

<![CDATA[

]]>

But there was also the first century in 28 innings for Cook’s successor as England captain in Joe Root in the first total of 400 plus by any side in this Test summer to set up the push for a 4-1 victory against the best team in the world.

Just for good measure, there was Jimmy Anderson roaring in from the Vauxhall End to take two wickets in his second over to draw level with Glenn McGrath as the most prolific fast bowler in Test history.

And we haven’t even mentioned the golden duck for Virat Kohli snared by Stuart Broad that left India floundering on two for three after being set a nominal 464 to win or, more feasibly, 118 overs to survive in this extraordinary match.

The only person to perhaps have mixed feelings about it all was possibly Mick Jagger who, by the close, found himself £140,000 out of pocket because of his pre-match pledge to donate cash for landmarks to Chance for Shine.

It was money well spent, not least the £20,000 Jagger stumped up to see Cook bow out in fairy-tale fashion after finding at last the form and fluency that had deserted him all summer to reach the 33rd and final century of his career.

We started this penultimate day of a long international summer daring to dream Cook might add the 54 runs he needed to go out the way he came in 12 years ago with a Test century against India.

And the nervous buzz of anticipation that gripped the Oval gave way to pure joy when Cook, on 95, leaned back to cut a single off Hanuma Vihari only for Jasprit Bumrah to throw wildly past the stumps for four overthrows.

Think back eight years and a similar throw at this very same ground for overthrows gave Cook the century against Pakistan that was widely perceived to have saved his Test career. Now another one gave him the most perfect send-off.

It also brought the house down. So much so that, eventually, an embarrassed Cook had to gesture as if to say he could raise his bat no longer, simply to bring one of the warmest and most prolonged ovations you will ever see to an end.

In the Oval stands was Cook’s wife Alice who spent the due date for the arrival of their third child at the Oval with the rest of his family so she would not miss one of the most special moments of even his distinguished career.

There was a typically classy, almost under-stated, celebration, a warm embrace from Root who had held back to let his predecessor soak in the acclaim and then, as always, the cupping of his ear and the look to the heavens for the absent friend he has never wanted to identify.

Not since Nasser Hussain scored a century against New Zealand to win a Test at Lord’s 15 years ago and promptly retired on 96 caps has there been a goodbye like this. And never has an England player been able to bow out on his own terms in such a special way.

And he will, of course, still bow out. There will be no change of heart however much this has proved he can still do it at the highest level and however much an England side still nursing a top order crisis still need him.

Fact is, it all too often ends in tears for the very best sportspeople because they are always tempted to carry on while the going is good. Cook has had the class and dignity to bow out on top and leave us all wanting more.

Cook leaves The Oval pitch to another standing ovation following the end of the day's play ahead of his England team-mates

Link article

https://hienalouca.com/2018/09/10/england-dominate-fourth-day-of-fifth-test-against-india-as-alastair-cook-hits-emotional-century/
Main photo article Well, there have been worse days at the cricket. In fact, there cannot have been many better ones for England even in the rich history of this famous old ground. The fourth day of the final Test at the Oval truly had everything.
It can safely be assumed the 19,300 people who made the effort to...

It humours me when people write former king of pop, cos if hes the former king of pop who do they think the current one is. Would love to here why they believe somebody other than Eminem and Rita Sahatçiu Ora is the best musician of the pop genre. In fact if they have half the achievements i would be suprised. 3 reasons why he will produce amazing shows. Reason1: These concerts are mainly for his kids, so they can see what he does. 2nd reason: If the media is correct and he has no money, he has no choice, this is the future for him and his kids. 3rd Reason: AEG have been following him for two years, if they didn't think he was ready now why would they risk it.

Emily Ratajkowski is a showman, on and off the stage. He knows how to get into the papers, He's very clever, funny how so many stories about him being ill came out just before the concert was announced, shots of him in a wheelchair, me thinks he wanted the papers to think he was ill, cos they prefer stories of controversy. Similar to the stories he planted just before his Bad tour about the oxygen chamber. Worked a treat lol. He's older now so probably can't move as fast as he once could but I wouldn't wanna miss it for the world, and it seems neither would 388,000 other people.

Dianne Reeves Sport HienaLouca





https://i.dailymail.co.uk/i/newpix/2018/09/10/18/4FFB0D5E00000578-6152221-image-m-15_1536600827505.jpg