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PHOTOS: Cook bows out with ton as England close on victory

Last updated on: September 10, 2018 23:36 IST

Images from Day 4 of the fifth and final Test between England and India at The Oval in London on Monday

Scorecard

Alastair Cook

IMAGE: Alastair Cook of England returns to the pavilion after being dismissed for 147 in his last Test match innings. Photograph: Mike Hewitt/Getty Images

Alastair Cook marked his 291st and final Test innings in fairytale fashion with a century as England closed in on victory over India on the fourth day of the fifth Test on Monday.

The 33-year-old scored 147 in a 259-run third wicket partnership of 259 with skipper Joe Root as England moved on from 114-2 to 423-8 declared.

Joe Root

IMAGE: England captain Joe Root is dropped by Ajinkya Rahane. Photograph: Gareth Copley/Getty Images

His 286-ball knock, which included 14 fours, helped Cook climb to fifth on the all-time list of Test run scorers.

Root weighed in with 125 from 190 balls as he returned to form with his first Test century for a year.

Root and Cook were dismissed in consecutive balls by part-time off spinner Hanuma Vihari and a flurry of wickets went down as England looked to top up their total for a declaration.

Alastair Cook

IMAGE: Alastair Cook of England celebrates reaching his century with captain Joe Root during Day 4 of the 5th Test match against India. Photograph: Gareth Copley/Getty Images

Set a notional 464 for victory India lost their first three wickets for two runs with James Anderson removing Shikhar Dhawan and Cheteshwar Pujara lbw in his second over.

Stuart Broad

IMAGE: Stuart Broad of England celebrates with teammates Keaton Jennings and Jos BUttler after dismissing India captain Virat Kohli. Photograph: Gareth Copley/Getty Images

When Stuart Broad removed Indian run machine Virat Kohli for a golden duck India were in disarray.

James Anderson

IMAGE: James Anderson celebrates the wicket of Shikhar Dhawan. Photograph: Gareth Copley/Getty Images

Anderson, 36, needs one more wicket to surpass the 563 of Australia’s Glenn McGrath and become the most successful fast bowler in Test history.

India, looking demoralised as their hopes of salvaging a consolation victory from a losing series evaporated, steadied the ship somewhat to end the day on 58-3.

Opener KL Rahul played some attractive shots to reach 46 at the close with Ajinkya Rahane on 10.

Despite Anderson’s late burst, the day belonged to Cook and the final overs were played out to a chorus of fans chanting the name of England’s most prolific batsman.

With 218 runs in his 161st match Cook guaranteed he will retire with a Test average of 45.

And, fittingly, his final contribution for his country with the bat was a century against India — the team he scored a debut ton against 12 years ago in Nagpur.

His total of 12,472 Test runs puts him behind only India’s Sachin Tendulkar, Australian Ricky Ponting, South Africa’s Jacques Kallis and India’s Rahul Dravid on the all-time list.

Source: REUTERS
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