Memories of Sir Alastair Cook's brilliance blow through Lord's

NICK HOWSON AT LORD'S: There was an inevitability about the ex-England captain's performance, which leaves the Bob Willis Trophy final in the balance

• Showpiece final provides a reminder of what matters in a time of strife
• Sam Cook revelling in being Essex's forgotten man

After two decades at the top and over 500 matches into a professional career, it says plenty about Sir Alastair Cook's insatiable drive that he is still able to surprise people. The ex-England skipper will have hit a more important or determined century during his much-heralded career, but few, if any, of his 80 three-figure scores will have come in more fluent fashion than the one which dominated Somerset at Lord's.

When Cook hung up his international whites in 2018 he admitted to losing the "fire" to play for his country, lacking the motivation to put in the hard yards to keep pace with the game. In many ways, he did his country proud by calling it day when he did, and not hustling his way into a batting line-up which even today would probably accommodate him.

Given that confession, there was something reassuring about the manner in which 'Chef' found himself able to rise to the big occasion in a major final. It was cold and blustery around Lord's. There is no live TV coverage. Crowds are locked away; not even a man and his dog are able to watch. In the grand scheme of things, this is hardly a lofty stage. 

The backdrop to this Bob Willis Trophy final might not be comparable to a Test match, but at this stage of Cook's career, this is as great as the heights get. And while there were familiar characteristics, it wasn't a knock without its moments.

Lord's was far from the Gloucester-born left-hander's favourite ground during his Test career, averaging 43.04 in 26 outings. But throughout his 172, he looked right at home.

^{Alastair Cook played beautifully straight all day}

There was a feeling of inevitability about this performance, perhaps harking back to as early as the second evening when the close was called early due to bad light. With Somerset having 301 on the board and conditions changing, it was made for Cook to help Essex through to day three. As it happened, the umpires did the job for him.

The surroundings were hardly pleasant on the third morning either. The wind was up close to 40mph in St John's Wood, nullifying the pleasant sun. Craig Overton and Josh Davey got the new ball to talk and it was somewhat remarkable that it took until first change Lewis Gregory at the end of the 14th over for a breakthrough to come.

Cook was given a thorough examination. Playing and missing, edging both short and over the slip cordon (exposing a rather two-paced pitch); there were few moments of respite in the opening 90 minutes. But nudges off his hip and clips through mid-wicket, quintessential shots of his repertoire, provided evidence that for all the pressure that muscle memory remains.

Most impressive was Cook's assertiveness on the front-foot. Historically an lbw candidate playing forward, the 35-year-old was controlled and destructive on the drive. He hit three through cover on his way to a half-century from 100 balls, and there were more to come.

Indeed, Cook was positively free-flowing during the second half of his hundred. He required another 64 balls to reached the milestone, helped by a rank Jack Leach full toss, his seventh at Lord's and first for Essex at the old ground. There was an almost balletic quality to his strokeplay, caressing the ball to the boundary at will, with Gregory taking plenty of punishment.

Somerset must be sick of the sight of Cook. It was his first innings fifty stretched over two-and-a-half hours on a Taunton pitch rated as "poor" 12 months ago which played a major role in Essex winning last season's County Championship, leaving the Cidermen second for a fifth occasion.

^{Lord's was sun-decked, yet blustery on day two}

This was Cook's fourth century since fully committing to Essex and by far the most important. With just a season to run on his three-year deal at Chelmsford, the question is for how much longer he wants to put himself through the rigours of the professional game. Drive once again becomes the main issue.

There was a nod to the importance of his knock in his reaction to the various landmarks. For his century, he refrained from removing his helmet, and upon going to 150 he marked scampering for a quick single with an almost cursory flash of the bat towards the Essex dressing room. And the disappointment at getting out late in the day said it all: he really meant business.

Cook will be 36 come the start of next season and you doubt he will have wanted the dying embers of his career to be played out behind-closed-doors. With the comfort of his Bedfordshire sheep farm and the Test Match Special commentary box awaiting, it mightn't be long before he begins to consider life beyond the middle.

His class can be measured in how he has made a decent looking Somerset first innings score of 301 look hopelessly inadequate. A team who had not previously conceded 200 in a single red-ball innings in 2020 looked devoid of ideas. It would be harsh to label the reigning County Championship holders as anything other than the best red-ball team in the country, but they have the format's best batsman and on a favourable pitch there are few around at this level capable of disrupting his flow.

He left the Taunton club, buoyant at the start of the first two sessions, looking despondent come the evening - making their fightback all the more impressive. Their hopes of easing the long wait for a maiden Championship with the Bob Willis Trophy possibly fading into the distance.

It isn't the first time Cook has left the ambitions of an opponent fractured and broken after a day in at the crease. The only question now is will it be the last?

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