Alastair Cook

The former England cricket captain Alastair Cook made a miserable total of just 9 runs (2 in the first innings and 7 in the second) as England are a whisker away from losing to Australia in the current Ashes Test match at Brisbane.

He has now made a total of 11 638 Test runs for England.

Cook now has 11 691 Test runs for England.

Cook now has 11 712 Test runs for England.

Cook now has 32 Test centuries in his career!

He now has 11 956 Test runs for England – and is the 6^th-highest run scorer in Test matches, having just leapt above Brian Lara.

Cook is the 6^th batsman to reach twelve thousand Test runs. He now has precisely 12 005 of them for England.

On the first day of the current Test match between New Zealand and England at Auckland, after the hosts won the toss and elected to field, Cook was first to be dismissed, out for a miserable 5. At least it seemed miserable at the time of dismissal – it turned out to be the joint-third highest score of the innings as England were shot out for just 58 (27 for 9 at one stage).

Cook, who may be facing imminent chop after making just seven runs in two innings, has plodded along to 12 012 Test runs.

And Cook has inched his way up to 12 028 Test runs.

And 535 Test wickets now for Anderson.

And Cook now not only has 12 145 Test runs but also 154 consecutive Test appearances, beating Allan Border’s previous record of 153.

And Cook could only put on a miserable show with the bat, getting 13 & 0 off a combined total of 42 balls. If he continues to be this disappointing, the most unthinkable thing in cricket might well happen: he might be dropped for the next Test! That would put an end to his run of consecutive Test appearances, currently standing at 155. Worse: he might never be picked to play for England again! Then his 12 158 Test runs would be the final figure in his cricketing portfolio – and my heart (if not his) would be irreparably broken.

Cook, who made 21 in the only innings of the match he needed to bat in, is now on 12 179 Test runs.

Cook has now scored 12 225 Test runs.

Sadly the Test career of out-of-form Alastair Cook may be over. With that the outcome of the final Test of the series immaterial to England, he may be dropped to make way for some budding youngster. His record 158 consecutive Test appearances may have to freeze there, along with his haul of 12 254 Test runs.

I got a ticket for today’s play at The Oval! India had four wickets standing at stumps yesterday; it took England until an hour after lunch to polish off the India tail – and then there was a huge cheer from the crowd as the one man they all came to see stepped out to the crease. He took 13 balls to get off the mark, with a four through square leg, but hit only two more boundaries as he ground (and survived) his way to 46 not out at stumps on the third day. It has been a day to remember for me, witnessing with my own eyes the moment Cook come out to bat for the last time for England – definitely next week’s wages well spent. Hopefully the man of the moment will go on to make a big score tomorrow. I will have to work tomorrow so, sadly, I will not be able to be there to join in the other fans in giving the big hero his final send-off.

On the day Cook announced his retirement from Test cricket, he was praised and described in the news as a “hero” by Graham Gooch – himself an England hero, and formerly of Essex. To be sure, England have been blessed with quite a number of heroes in recent decades: Alastair Cook of Essex, Graham Gooch of Essex, Nasser Hussain of Essex, ...

And Cook finishes his Test career with the following records:

• 12 472 Test runs (5^th in the list of top Test run scorers of all time),
• 33 Test centuries – including the one in his last innings, 147 off 286 balls with 14 fours (of which I saw 46 off 125 with 3 fours with my own eyes),
• 159 consecutive Test appearances (out of 161 in total), and
• 175 catches in the field.

Anderson did not take a single wicket in the second Test at Kandy, which England have won by 57 runs – he only bowled 19 of the 177 overs in total in the two Sri Lanka innings. He remains on 565 Test wickets.

England are currently battling to save a Test match against the West Indies in Bridgetown, Barbados. Anderson will finish the match on 570 Test wickets.

575 Test wickets for Anderson now, England having avoided a series whitewash by winning by 232 runs at St Lucia.