England's Alastair Cook celebrating his century during play on the fourth day of the fifth Test cricket match against India at The Oval in London on Monday — AFP LONDON, Sept 10 (AFP): Alastair Cook marked his final Test innings with a storybook hundred as England piled on the runs against India at the Oval on Monday.
England were 243 for two in their second innings at lunch on the fourth day of the fifth Test, with Cook 103 not out and Joe Root, his successor as England captain, 92 not out.
Together the pair had so far shared an unbroken stand of 181 for the third wicket, with England -- who had already won this five-match series at 3-1 up -- a commanding 283 runs ahead.
Cook is retiring from international cricket after this match and Monday's innings meant he became just the fifth player and first Englishman to score a hundred in both their first and last Tests after Australia's Reggie Duff, Bill Ponsford and Greg Chappell and India's Mohammad Azharuddin.
England resumed on 114 for two, already 154 runs ahead, with Cook 43 not out and Root unbeaten on 29.
A capacity crowd, willing Essex left-handed opener Cook to score a hundred, gave him a standing ovation as he walked out to bat on a sunny morning.
And they were soon giving him another when Cook, from his second ball of the bay, turned fast bowler Jasprit Bumrah off his pads to complete a 127-ball fifty with his fourth four.
Cook looked in fine touch, late cutting left-arm spinner Ravindra Jadeja for another well-struck boundary. Root followed up by sweeping Jadeja for two well-struck fours as runs came briskly.
Hundreds in first and last Tests — Internet
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