1st Test: Lucky to escape with draw, says Cook
England captain relieved as tourists save match against New Zealand.
File photo of Alastair Cook. PHOTO: REUTERS/FILE
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 11th, 2013.
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 11th, 2013.