No. 2: Alastair Cook
Joining Matthew Hayden as opening partner in the former Australia captain's Ashes XI: an unflappable run-getter from England
Ricky Ponting
07-Jul-2015
"He is a dogged player, not flamboyant but once he's in, he's very hard to get out. He's had a very good career with over a 100 Tests and also captained England. His best attribute is his temperament as he is unflappable at the crease"
Stats
*OVERALL: Matches 114 Innings 204 Runs 9000 Average 46.87 100s/50s 27/42
ASHES: Matches 25 Innings 46 Runs 1787 Average 39.71 100s/50s 4/9
ASHES: Matches 25 Innings 46 Runs 1787 Average 39.71 100s/50s 4/9
Pick the second opening batsman for your Ashes XI
5 votesAlastair Cook
Andrew Strauss
Mark Taylor
Marcus Trescothick
Justin Langer
Michael Vaughan
Shane Watson
Simon Katich
Michael Atherton
Matthew Hayden
Best performance
235 not out in Brisbane, 2010
England had regained the Ashes at home, but their previous visit to Australia in 2006-07 had been a 5-0 whitewash. And it wasn't looking good after Australia took a 221-run first-innings lead. But nothing would been more deflating for the hosts than Cook's 10-and-a-half hour stay at the crease, racking up 235 and combining with Andrew Strauss and Jonathon Trott to pile up 517 for 1 declared to help his side draw the Test and get the psychological advantage. Cook went past Don Bradman's 226 to record the highest score at the Gabba, and scored a total of 302 runs in the Test.
England had regained the Ashes at home, but their previous visit to Australia in 2006-07 had been a 5-0 whitewash. And it wasn't looking good after Australia took a 221-run first-innings lead. But nothing would been more deflating for the hosts than Cook's 10-and-a-half hour stay at the crease, racking up 235 and combining with Andrew Strauss and Jonathon Trott to pile up 517 for 1 declared to help his side draw the Test and get the psychological advantage. Cook went past Don Bradman's 226 to record the highest score at the Gabba, and scored a total of 302 runs in the Test.
Trivia
Cook's eventual score of 235 not out in Brisbane was nearly nine times his previous average in Tests against Australia.
*Numbers as on July 7, 2015
One of cricket's modern greats, Ricky Ponting captained Australia in 324 matches and scored over 27,000 runs