Alastair Cook Retires from International Cricket

[TestMatch]

I'll miss him. He was an old-school test opener, of a breed rare today. I think only Kraigg Brathwaite is today opening with a similar style.

He also seemed like a good guy.

I wish he went out on a bigger high.

 

[a massive zebra]

>make a post about feeling old
>it gets liked by someone who was only 1 year old when you joined the forum

Way to rub it in, trundler.

Could be worse. At least the likes of AB and Cook have a few years on you. How do you think it feels to be the same age as those that are currently retiring?

 

[a massive zebra]

It feels like the end of an era in more ways than one.
As long as I can remember, there's always been "a great England opener" -- stretching back through Boycott, Gooch, Atherton, I suppose Trescothick filled that role until his health broke down, then Strauss and now Cook. But the line seems to be broken now. I guess it's a bit like the gap between Hutton and Boycott, where there was about a decade without anyone holding the "great England opener" role, but that was before my time. Somehow it doesn't feel right.
Anyway, loved the guy; second favorite of recent England cricketers. Wish him well for the future.

Fairly loose definition of great if the likes of Atherton, Trescothick and Strauss are creeping in there. But it may well be the first time in living memory that England haven't at least had a Test class opener, sure.

 

[fredfertang]

Still hoping that maybe after a winter off he'll feel like one last tilt at the Ashes and change his mind

 

[Pothas]

Absolutely gutted.

Same.

Must have seen Cook score more runs than any other player. Going to be so strange without him.

 

[Essexboi]

Been an honour watching him over the years for both England and its finest county Has more class in his pinky than many of his high profile detractors possess in their whole body. I still believed he could have dropped to 3 and gone on for a couple more years but alas the miles on the clock proved too high. England's loss will be Essex's gain as he has just signed a new 3 year contract. The calls for him to return during the Ashes next summer will ring loud when he passes 1000 runs halfway through June!!!
A hero, top player and most importantly shining example to the next generation on how to play our great game.

 

[fredfertang]

Could be worse. At least the likes of AB and Cook have a few years on you. How do you think it feels to be the same age as those that are currently retiring?

Just don't go there

 

[Coronis]

Not his biggest fan, but can’t deny the impact he’s had. Good career mate, wish him the best in his future endeavors.

 

[Fuller Pilch]

Great player. Fantastic he will continue playing county cricket too

 

[Bijed]

End of an era, really. Always had his detractors (and I won't pretend I haven't been very critical of him at times) but in years to come we'll look back and realise how lucky we were to have him. Hope he can go out on a high at the Oval.

 

[flibbertyjibber]

Well done Chef and thanks for many many more good/great memories than bad ones. Obviously people will always look at that ashes series but his finest hour was as captain winning in India and scoring a bundle of runs to boot. A great player, probably the best opener I have seen us have and it seems the only people with bad words to say today are Piers Morgan and Ronnie Irani, even KP gave him a glowing tribute which shocked me.

 

[a massive zebra]

Just don't go there

Apologies. With age comes wisdom!

 

[flibbertyjibber]

Apologies. With age comes wisdom!

Also lots of ex wives.

 

[fredfertang]

Apologies. With age comes wisdom!

.... and creaking joints

 

[a massive zebra]

Also lots of ex wives.

fredfertang can speak for himself!

 

[MW1304]

I don't want to live in a world without Cook opening the batting.

 

[CarlsbergXpress]

Hope he goes out with one last great test innings, always conducted himself admirably and a ton at the Oval would be fitting.

 

[The Battlers Prince]

Cook’s great innings’ are always special and if we are lucky enough to see another of his ilk I’ll be happy

 

[Bolo]

To add to the weight of the other achievements most of us haven't really taken note of until now, I would like to draw attention to the fact that he played 160 tests (in 12 years, which is ridiculous, but not my point). Openers have a different role to the rest of the team. There is always half a feeling when looking at a player anywhere short of perfect that he might be blocking the development of another player of inestimable talent.

Openers only block one thing though- a conveyor belt of garbage openers. You are never seeking the next great talent, just a guy whose level of failure you will be able to overlook for now. England's current woes are not notable- they are a constant until you find a Cook. He took on the toughest job and was the best at it. I tip my hat. But I would also like to tip my hat to the less obvious service he provided in keeping the conveyor belt of discarded wastemen away from his team for 160 games. This is a service no player has ever matched*



*It's flowery, over the top, sentimental and needlessly wordy. But most importantly it somehow finds a way to turn an English player under the spotlight into the undisputed GOAT. I expect the highest form of honour and recognition from the English cricket tabloids. Which would of course mean having the comment plagiarized, shotcreted by a thesaurus of superlatives and printed along with some questionably selected stats and a picture of him looking majestic*


*I really just wanted to make a simple comment about an extra bit of value add he provided. Beer is putting some serious effort into turning the mundane into an unnecessary adventure. Prost.

 

[Groundking]

To add to the weight of the other achievements most of us haven't really taken note of until now, I would like to draw attention to the fact that he played 160 tests (in 12 years, which is ridiculous, but not my point). Openers have a different role to the rest of the team. There is always half a feeling when looking at a player anywhere short of perfect that he might be blocking the development of another player of inestimable talent.

Openers only block one thing though- a conveyor belt of garbage openers. You are never seeking the next great talent, just a guy whose level of failure you will be able to overlook for now. England's current woes are not notable- they are a constant until you find a Cook. He took on the toughest job and was the best at it. I tip my hat. But I would also like to tip my hat to the less obvious service he provided in keeping the conveyor belt of discarded wastemen away from his team for 160 games. This is a service no player has ever matched*



*It's flowery, over the top, sentimental and needlessly wordy. But most importantly it somehow finds a way to turn an English player under the spotlight into the undisputed GOAT. I expect the highest form of honour and recognition from the English cricket tabloids. Which would of course mean having the comment plagiarized, shotcreted by a thesaurus of superlatives and printed along with some questionably selected stats and a picture of him looking majestic*


*I really just wanted to make a simple comment about an extra bit of value add he provided. Beer is putting some serious effort into turning the mundane into an unnecessary adventure. Prost.

Just to put this a bit more into perspective of Cook's longevity as an opener, he's played in 73 more innings as an opener than the next lad, Gavaskar, and still has another 2 innings potentially to play in.