1st Test: Lucky to escape with draw, says Cook

England captain relieved as tourists save match against New Zealand.

DUNEDIN: England captain Alastair Cook was struggling for answers to his side’s repeated first Test stumbles as he conceded they were lucky to escape with a draw against New Zealand in Dunedin.

The tourists were forced to occupy the crease in their second-innings for nearly two days to salvage the match, reaching 421 for six – a lead of 128 runs – when the rain-interrupted first Test ended yesterday.

“We’ve been lucky in one sense to escape with a draw, certainly,” said Cook. “That’s a huge reminder that if you don’t perform, you don’t deserve to win anything.”

Cook (116) and Nick Compton (117) laid the groundwork for the survival against New Zealand with a 231-run opening partnership and they were ably backed by a stubborn nighwatchman Steven Finn (56).

Published in The Express Tribune, March 11^th, 2013.