Cook and Trott triumph
Jonathan Trott and Alastair Cook have an aversion to flamboyancy but nothing could contain the air of triumph as England swept the board at Monday's ICC awards, writes Barney Ronay in the Guardian
Akhila Ranganna
25-Feb-2013
Jonathan Trott and Alastair Cook have an aversion to flamboyancy but nothing could contain the air of triumph as England swept the board at Monday's ICC awards, writes Barney Ronay in the Guardian. Before Monday night no Englishman had been anointed ICC Cricketer of the Year in the seven-year history of cricket's grandest gongs. Andrew Flintoff had a share in 2005 but no Englishman had been granted the Test laurels outright either.
And so to Trott and Cook's triumph, the centrepiece of the evening. This really did feel like a defining moment of ascension for a team built around two of the most quietly acquisitive, notably unflamboyant of modern batsmen. England players talk reflexively of building, working hard, staying hungry (Cook promised to work hard "for the 24 months coming up". OK, Alastair. And do try and enjoy it a little bit). But for one night at least this was a moment to take a deep breath and enjoy the view.
Akhila Ranganna is assistant editor (Audio) at ESPNcricinfo