Tweet
SYDNEY (Reuters) - Even Alastair Cook is finding it hard to believe his prolific form in the Ashes series, which continued with another dominant innings to put England in control of the fifth and final test on Wednesday.
The left-handed opener scored 189 in England's first innings in Sydney to add to a half century and double century in Brisbane, a century in Adelaide and another half century in Melbourne.
Cook batted for 488 minutes, faced 342 balls and hit 16 fours in his innings, which brought him to 766 runs over the five tests and made him the second-most prolific English batsman in an Ashes series after Wally Hammond, who made 905 in 1928-29.
His average for the series is 127.66, he has accumulated more than a thousand first class runs including the tour matches and has spent an astonishing 2,171 minutes, or more than 36 hours, at the crease in the tests.
"You could only have dreamt about it six or seven weeks ago, especially after that warm-up game where I didn't get any runs this looked a long way away," the 26-year-old
"I can't really believe what I've achieved and what the side have achieved. It's been a good couple of months but we've got two days of hard work left."
With the Ashes already retained and England 2-1 up in the series, a draw at the Sydney Cricket Ground would give England a series win in Australia for the first time in 24 years.
Even a draw looks optimistic for the Australians now, though, after Cook and Ian Bell, who scored 115, put them to the sword on Wednesday.
Cook's form is all the more impressive given he was fighting for his place in the England team last August and had performed poorly against Australia in previous tests.
"Form comes and goes, I couldn't hit the middle of the bat six months ago. I don't quite know why, it's the secret of sport, why form comes and goes so quickly," he said.
"Obviously I had a tough summer, it was all too well documented... once you score runs people tend to leave you alone," Cook added.
"In the second game in Adelaide, when I scored the 100 in that second innings I thought, 'okay, I can score runs in Australia'.
"Just that little bit of confidence you always need and that time in the middle, so my gameplan does work if I execute it well and that gameplan has served me well this trip."
Having been through his slump in form, Cook, who will be hard to overlook for Player of the Series honours, is determined to make hay while the suns shines.
"You've got to keep enjoying what you do, because there were some pretty dark times last summer and I'm sure there will be in my career at other times. You've certainly got to enjoy a day like today."
(Editing by John O'Brien)
Online Business Consulting | Internet Business Consulting
The left-handed opener scored 189 in England's first innings in Sydney to add to a half century and double century in Brisbane, a century in Adelaide and another half century in Melbourne.
Cook batted for 488 minutes, faced 342 balls and hit 16 fours in his innings, which brought him to 766 runs over the five tests and made him the second-most prolific English batsman in an Ashes series after Wally Hammond, who made 905 in 1928-29.
His average for the series is 127.66, he has accumulated more than a thousand first class runs including the tour matches and has spent an astonishing 2,171 minutes, or more than 36 hours, at the crease in the tests.
"You could only have dreamt about it six or seven weeks ago, especially after that warm-up game where I didn't get any runs this looked a long way away," the 26-year-old
"I can't really believe what I've achieved and what the side have achieved. It's been a good couple of months but we've got two days of hard work left."
With the Ashes already retained and England 2-1 up in the series, a draw at the Sydney Cricket Ground would give England a series win in Australia for the first time in 24 years.
Even a draw looks optimistic for the Australians now, though, after Cook and Ian Bell, who scored 115, put them to the sword on Wednesday.
Cook's form is all the more impressive given he was fighting for his place in the England team last August and had performed poorly against Australia in previous tests.
"Form comes and goes, I couldn't hit the middle of the bat six months ago. I don't quite know why, it's the secret of sport, why form comes and goes so quickly," he said.
"Obviously I had a tough summer, it was all too well documented... once you score runs people tend to leave you alone," Cook added.
"In the second game in Adelaide, when I scored the 100 in that second innings I thought, 'okay, I can score runs in Australia'.
"Just that little bit of confidence you always need and that time in the middle, so my gameplan does work if I execute it well and that gameplan has served me well this trip."
Having been through his slump in form, Cook, who will be hard to overlook for Player of the Series honours, is determined to make hay while the suns shines.
"You've got to keep enjoying what you do, because there were some pretty dark times last summer and I'm sure there will be in my career at other times. You've certainly got to enjoy a day like today."
(Editing by John O'Brien)
Online Business Consulting | Internet Business Consulting
