The Independent Voice of West Indies Cricket

Cook ends hundred drought but WI take honours

Fri, May 1, '15

 

Windies v England


A popular number during this series has been the days since Alastair Cook scored a hundred, even if only on a small percentage of them could he physically have made a century. The counter can be reset to zero now after he batted into the final over of the opening day in Barbados, holding a faltering England display together, to score his 26th Test hundred and first since May 2013.

As the shadows lengthened across Kensington Oval, Cook clipped Shannon Gabriel off his toes from his 259th delivery for a boundary which meant he could acknowledge three figures at international level after almost two years. There was a prolonged standing ovation from the England supporters who had helped fill out the ground and lengthy applause from his team-mates on the balcony.

Yet while Cook took the personal honours West Indies ended the happier team, especially when Cook fell to what became the last delivery of the day as he edged a cut against Marlon Samuels to leave England 240 for 7 after deciding to bat first. On a surface that started suggesting some pace, then showed signs of turn, it will be difficult to judge a score until West Indies bat - but the home side are certainly in with a chance of levelling the series.