Stephen Brenkley
Published 28/07/2014|02:30
England captain Alastair Cook looks dejected as he walks off after losing his wicket during day one of the Third Investec Test match at the Ageas Bowl, Southampton (Andrew Matthews/PA Wire)
The wait goes on. Alastair Cook's journey to redemption began at last yesterday but he might have known by now that there would be nothing straightforward about it.
A Test hundred was so close he could almost touch it, his 26th but his first for 426 days and 28 innings.
The early reprieve when he was on 15 was long gone. If it was not quite a sign, he made sure there was no repeat of the familiar error, pushing at the ball outside off stump. Mostly, his bat was impeccably, determinedly straight. Occasionally, he was given the succour of a pull or a cut to keep his spirits up.
He had been 27 balls and 30 minutes in the 90s. India made it their business to dry up his runs by bowling full outside off stump, using pace from one end and at middle, using spin from the other with seven leg-side fielders.
What mattered above all in this scenario was Cook's progress, so that the prolific Gary Ballance, a Test batsman of rare vintage, was all but overlooked.
Ballance again made a beautifully controlled contribution and a little later after the drama of the day was done, went on to make his third century of the summer, his fifth score above 50 in six Tests.
Cook's heart must have been racing. Calls for his resignation had dominated the build-up, but helped by Ballance he was guiding England to a dominant position.
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The ground was willing him on. What the past few days have taught us is what a popular figure Cook is, a triumph for the virtues of decency and honesty.
He declined to be rushed just as he declined to give up the captaincy. But then on 95 he saw his moment.
Ravindra Jadeja bowled a long hop on leg stump and Cook, naturally, compulsorily, reached for the pull shot. But he mistimed it, and to widespread disappointment, he under-edged a catch to MS Dhoni behind.
Umpire Marais Erasmus cogitated a while, but he knew what he had to do and the finger came up. In some ways, this was a failure by Cook, the sixth time he had been dismissed in the 90s in a Test innings, more than any other England batsman. But in many more others it was a deserved triumph.
He came into the match with his positions as captain and opening batsman the subjects of endless debate. Had the catch been snaffled in the 11th over the siren voices might have been impossible to repel, but this was the work of a man who will not go anywhere without putting up a hell of a fight.
Aside from Cook's personal contribution, his other service to England yesterday was deciding to bat after winning the toss. There was some talk of bowling but a score of 247-2 made it abundantly clear that batting was the correct thing to do. (© Independent News Service)
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