The frazzled Australians endured a long hot day of toil in the field for scant reward as Cook continued to be the marathon man of the Ashes series, scoring his second century. England cruised past Australia’s below-par first-innings total of 245 about 23 overs before stumps and finished the sweltering second day at 317 for two, a lead of 72.
Cook followed up his unbeaten 235 in Brisbane to end the day on 136 with Kevin Pietersen, not out on 85, threatening to unleash a big score today. The pair has so far put on 141 runs for the third wicket. Vice-captain Cook, displaying immense powers of concentration, has amassed 438 runs in three innings in this series for one dismissal and has spent all but 11 overs on the field in the first seven days of the series.
“It was excellent conditions to bat in,” said Cook. “It was important to make the most of what our bowlers did. It was a fantastic effort to dismiss them for 245. We’re in a good position but there’s a lot of cricket left.”
The Essex left-hander helped himself to a boundary with a cut off ineffectual spinner Xavier Doherty to reach his ton, his third against Australia. Cook has now scored 15 Test centuries before the age of 26, equalling the achievement of Australian legend Don Bradman. Only India’s Sachin Tendulkar, the leading Test run-scorer of all time, managed more, reaching three figures 19 times before his 26th birthday.
Published in The Express Tribune, December 5th, 2010.
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