Australia and England drew the first Ashes Test yesterday after Alastair Cook dominated the last two days with an unbeaten double-century to rescue a match that had looked lost.
Cook, who was unbeaten on a career-high 235, and Jonathan Trott, who was 135 not out, had built a record partnership of 329 when Andrew Strauss declared England’s second innings closed at 517-1 before tea.
Australia, who were 296 runs behind, lost Simon Katich before the break, but skipper Ricky Ponting, who hit 51, and opener Shane Watson (41) ushered the hosts safely through the remaining overs to finish on 107 for one.
PHOTO: REUTERS
Cook’s knock, the highest Test innings at the Gabba, helped to banish the demons of poor previous displays against Australia.
He started the series with an average of 26.21 in 10 Ashes Tests, but blew that record asunder.
“To score 200 against Australia in Australia is a great effort,” he said. “When you’re so far behind you have to bat a lot of overs to get back into. It’s been a great couple of days.”
“My record in Australia hasn’t been that good. One innings doesn’t change a lot, but it’s a start,” he said.
The left-hander was ignoring the 67 he made in the first innings at the Gabba and underplaying the psychological importance of the innings in the context of what looks like being a tight series.
Strauss, however, was full of praise for his opening partner.
“It was an outstanding performance from Alastair Cook, one of the best centuries I’ve seen from an England player,” Strauss said.
Cook burst onto the international scene with a century against India on his debut in 2006, but the doubts about his technique have always persisted, particularly when the runs have dried up.
That was the case last year when a lean spell caused his place in the England team to come under threat, but his response was a century against Pakistan at The Oval.
“It’s cricket innit?” he said. “It’s amazing how it turns around. You keep working at the right things, more importantly you keep believing you’re a good player and you get the results.”
“These days are even more special after the dark days against Pakistan,” he said. “I got great confidence from my century at The Oval and it’s great to back it up here, but we start again very quickly in Adelaide on Friday so hopefully I can change things around again.”
Australia called up two more quick bowlers to their squad for the second Test as they search for the killer touch that eluded them in Brisbane.
Ryan Harris and Doug Bollinger will supplement their fast bowling corps of Mitchell Johnson, Peter Siddle and Ben Hilfenhaus for the Adelaide Test.
“We have to work to work out what is the best attack to take us 20 wickets in Adelaide,” Ponting said. “No doubt that we’ve got a lot of improvement to do with our bowling group.”
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