The chef retires

Arise Sir Alistair

 

Breakfast shows next host?

 

Must be sad when you know you've had your last ever leg tickle. Well batted lad!

 

Top player.

 

Great shame. Feels too soon, but he obviously knows its right for him. Hoping we bat first innings on Day 1 and I can see his penultimate innings for England. A true great, and though he's not contributed much with the bat this series, we're desperately going to miss him at the top of the order. Might be more like 50 for 4, rather than 80 for 4 in future.

 

The lads record is excellent, but, it's the right time for him he's been a great player for England and when on form a pleasure to watch.
Good luck to him and to the selectors trying to replace him.

 

What's the track like at the Oval these days....used to be a batters paradise back in the (night - geddit?) day. What price he gets a ton to retire on?

 

Was talking about this with a lad who plays cricket in selby and he thought he might go this summer before we go off on our winter tour... I thought he might play till after the ashes next year then hang his gloves up.

What a player he's been though and although he hasn't had his best series this time it's going to be a huge hole to fill at number 1 in the batting lineup

 

Incredible career will go down as a legend.

 

He has been a magnificent servant to England , as an opening bat , a fine captain , an excellent slip fielder but more than anything a true ambassador for the game.

 

It varies, can spin a bit and has swung some years, last time v India we skittled them very cheaply as it swing under cloud cover

The pace isn't great now, used to have tremendous bounce and carry

 

Surprised he would leave us in the lurch by giving us less than 12 months to get a brand new opener sorted for the Ashes. But if he no longer has the stomach for trips to Sri Lanka and West Indies beforehand, I don't blame him stopping now.

 

He's not done much all summer he possibly feels he's no longer in the team on merit?
I'd say he's doing the opposite of leaving us in the lurch, he's putting the team first.

I do get your point though, we are still trying to replace Strauss all these years on nevermind Cook.

 

Of our 2005 Ashes winners we are still trying to replace most of them. Of those not around now and then, Bairstow instead of Prior is probably the only improvement.

 

He’s had dips in form in the past & come back from them, he’s a quality quality player, but same as others has mentioned having ’nothing left in the tank’
The work & mental strength that has been his trademark just isn’t there & it is, at that point, time to go.
Well played Cookie, most runs by an Englishman & a gent too with it.
Had the great pleasure to watch him hit the Aussies all over Melbourne at Christmas & score 244 not out, I’ll never forget that.

 

Cook wasn't part of the 2005 Ashes series though. Prior wasn't part of the 2005 Ashes series either.

 

Ahhhh yes Jones my mistake. All records get beaten eventually, but the records Cook has set will take a long while.

 

Root has a chance, but cannot see any other contenders.

 

Interesting debate on York’s cricket forum

Was cook very good or great?

Stats wise he’s very good, averages 45 ish, weight of runs and longevity makes him the highest run scorer ever at over 12k, however he’s played more tests.

I’m in the great camp I’d say. To play so many tests as opener, to go through so many battles mentally with such skill makes him a great and he deserves every accolade he will get this week