Cook century highlight of tame Test draw
Alastair Cook finally managed to get to three figures
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Monday, 02, Mar 2009 10:21
Alastair Cook hit an unbeaten 139 as England comfortably batted out for a draw against the West Indies in the fourth Test in Barbados.
England started the day in a tricky position of 143 runs behind the West Indies, but a dogged century from Cook, which was his first since December 2007, and an unbeaten 72 from Kevin Pietersen guided England to 279-2.
England managed to gain a 136-run lead, but that had little meaning with only a session of the Test match left and captains Chris Gayle and Andrew Strauss shook hands to an early finish to the match.
The West Indies started the day with aspirations of forcing an unlikely win and the opening over would have lifted their spirits. Fidel Edwards came charging in and passed Cook's outside edge three times in the first over.
But the first over proved to be a false dawn for the Windies as the pitch showed its true colours by offering nothing to the bowlers.
Cook and Strauss both went along with ease and Cook, who has had real problems with the short ball, pulled two balls for four, although he almost got caught in the deep after a slog-sweep.
The host did manage to get a breakthrough just before lunch as Strauss chopped the ball back on to his stumps off the bowling of Suliemen Benn.
England looked to be easing to an easy draw as they went into lunch on 115-1 and though they lost Owais Shah (21) lbw to Benn, Cook and Pietersen went on to dominate the remaining day, with the latter hitting a towering six and his trademark reverse sweep.