Cook guides England to safety

Eurosport - Tue, 03 Mar 12:25:00 2009

Alastair Cook scored his first century in 16 Tests as England drew the fourth Test with West Indies, making 279 for two on the final day at the Kensington Oval in Barbados.

Alastair Cook, CRICKET - 0

The result means West Indies head into the final Test in Port of Spain, Trinidad, 1-0 up and knowing they cannot be beaten in the series - the first time they have avoided defeat in a Test series against England since 1998.

From the lunch break onwards, the game consisted of little more than televised batting practice for Cook, whose unbeaten 139 was his highest Test score and Kevin Pietersen (72 not out) - the pair making a 150 run partnership.

A flat, placid batting wicket resulted in first innings totals of 600 for England and 749 for West Indies and with little sign of deterioration on the final day, the game petered out into a draw.

Until last week there had never been a Test featuring scores of over 600 and 700 and there have now been two after Pakistan and Sri Lanka produced a similar result in Karachi - and those drawn Tests will re-open the debate on whether wickets are now overly friendly for batsmen.

At the start of play on Monday, there was a lingering notion of an upset if West Indies could pick up some early wickets and put England, who had collapsed to 51 all out in the first Test, under pressure.

It swiftly became apparent that the tourists were going to cruise through the day - even a spell of aggressive pace bowling from Fidel Edwards did little to create a sense of a surprise in the air.

Resuming, 143 runs behind West Indies, England's opening pair of Andrew Strauss and Cook confidently put on 88 for the first wicket.

Skipper Strauss fell for 38 to his counterpart Chris Gayle - chopping an attempted cut onto his own wicket.

After lunch Owais Shah went for 21, lbw to Benn after being struck plumb on the toe but Cook and Pietersen put on a 104 run partnership before tea as the result became inevitable.

West Indies have named an unchanged squad for the final Test at Queen's Park while England will ponder a few options, particularly to their bowling attack.

Reuters

Comment 39 - 58 of 58

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  1. im sorry but how can you include sidebottom in the team­ when he hasnt taken wickets for over a year, kahn­ should have got a chance after playing so well in warm­ up !, also harmy should have played on that wicket he­ could have been the difference especially without­ freddie !. nobody to hit the pitch hard, also why do­ pitches seem so dead ? maybe cause windies are 1 up­ ??????????? they are playing us bet if they were 1 down­ it would have been different ! sarwan played well but­ come on england bowling was too poor

    From v2cdj, on Mon 2 Mar 11:50PM

  2. You could see this would be a draw from the end of day­ two, England left it too long to declare - even though­ they had to win the match to stand a chance of winning­ the series!

    It seems like the weather, or the wicket­ determine the result too much.

    From bengiles, on Mon 2 Mar 11:13PM

  3. Sarah...To be honest with you I dont think ryan­ shitebottom would get into the windies team either. But­ I do stil think we are a better team than them, when we­ tick.

    From laboca123, on Mon 2 Mar 10:46PM

  4. I do like the windies, and im an England fan. Its good­ to see them coming back into the running.

    From laboca123, on Mon 2 Mar 10:36PM

  5. Nothing against the west indies or anything, but how­ come their fans only show up on the last day when they­ are likely to win or draw? They dont seem too loyal

    From laboca123, on Mon 2 Mar 10:34PM

  6. kemykal. You should remember the two basi rules. Rule 1­ the girl is always right!

    From debbieh76, on Mon 2 Mar 10:27PM

  7. Sarah. I'm glad I'm not the only girl who likes­ cricket. Good on you girl

    From debbieh76, on Mon 2 Mar 10:18PM

  8. Getting carried away? How do you work that one out­ sarah? Just because someone has an opinion? I know,­ lets not say nothing until SARAH allows us to. May i be­ happy Sarah?

    From Kem-One, on Mon 2 Mar 10:11PM

  9. Thats for you sarah. Go stand in the sun.

    From Kem-One, on Mon 2 Mar 10:07PM

  10. What is a fricabeeyan? Thats all you people do. Makes­ stupid mames for other races. You silly Caucasian. Go­ back to your cave in the mountain region.

    From Kem-One, on Mon 2 Mar 10:05PM
  11. Comment hidden due to its low rating. Show

    I see the WI fans are getting carried away again.­ England are still a better team by miles. Not one­ FrickerBeeyan bowler would get in the England team, and­ out of the batsmen, only the number 3 position would be­ up for grabs. Grow up, fricabeeyans. England do­ themselves far more harm than the opposition.

    From sarah, on Mon 2 Mar 8:44PM

  12. 1,628 runs scored in aggregate at an average of 95.77 -­ is this some kind of record?

    From rowley, on Mon 2 Mar 8:13PM

  13. England were never going to bowl out the West Indies­ with a bowling attack like we feilded.

    From Cat T, on Mon 2 Mar 1:29PM

  14. Seems like england fans are off to the blaming races­ once again. As a west indian I can inform you­ Kensington isn't and will never be a dead wicket.­ There is something there for the bowlers if they put­ the ball in the right areas and something for the­ batsmen if he concentrates. I never liked the ARG cause­ it hardly ever produces a result. If there is anyone­ for you english fans to blame, look at the selectors­ cause there is hardly a strike bowler in that squad.­
    Get in there Windies!!!

    From adrian m, on Mon 2 Mar 1:08PM

  15. good on the windies. its good for global cricket to­ have them back in the fray but I have to say having­ watched the saffers, aussies and kiwis recently as i­ cant get english cricket over here in dubai easily, the­ english looked a huge league below the standard being­ played down south last time i got some of the game a­ week or so ago even if the aussies are on bad form by­ their standards. bunch of @#$% to be honest is how the­ english looked and trying to over complicate everything­ as normal and the fieldgin was dreadful....looking­ forward to the ashes tho, hope the aussies take david­ warner.. and its a good close series like the aussie SA­ one recently where each game swung several times during­ its duration!

    From Richard, on Mon 2 Mar 1:00PM

  16. Are the Windies developing into the force they became­ in the sultry seventies...or are England pure trash?

    From Harry R, on Mon 2 Mar 11:21AM

  17. We can't seem to make the easiest of decisions,­ every1 knew this was a bad bowling wicket, so why go in­ with 4 bowlers, and an extra batter, and with the­ nonsense of not making them follow on the last time as­ well, were becoming a joke and gonna get battered by an­ australian team who r no where near what they used to­ be, but still they make the correct choices, hence they­ still give themself the best chance of winning.

    From terri-ann, on Mon 2 Mar 10:12AM

  18. hmm now is west Indies hd taken their catches during­ the england innings do u think they would have gotten­ to six hundred. Nope ordainry was the west indies­ feeling but they made up with great batting agaisnt an­ ordainry bowling attack an a pitch that was not a­ bowlers paradise

    From Charles, on Mon 2 Mar 9:45AM

  19. Congratulations to Sarwan for a marvellous display of­ batting.As for the comments regarding the pitch could­ people please catch a grip,whatever type of pitch it is­ ,you still have to get 20 wickets to win the game.Sadly­ England did not seem to pick the right bowling line up­ for this test and have been made to pay for this­ error.Maybe they will learn a lesson from this but i­ very much doubt it.

    From tani1959, on Mon 2 Mar 7:59AM

  20. WIBC ought to be be sanctioned by the Caricom community­ for the limitations, displayed on this tour. Poor gound­ in Antigua, and flat wickets in all other venues until­ now. Kenginston and other test venues need proper­ wickets if there is any expectations to have spectators­ at these venues. Get a grip of your selves fellas.

    From Elton, on Mon 2 Mar 3:28AM
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