Shortly after lunch at The Oval, Alastair Cook leaned back like a man settling into his favourite well-worn upright chair and nudged Keshav Maharaj away through square leg for a single, making his ground with that familiar knock-kneed jog. The run brought up England’s hundred in the 29th over of a tough, tight, airless day in south London. As the crowd relaxed into a swell of applause Cook came down the pitch, summoned Joe Root and offered a slightly gawky, oddly touching fist-bump.
From a distance it looked more like a fraternal pat on his captain’s shoulder on a day when Cook pretty much carried England’s first innings on his back after Root had won the toss. Since the disintegration at Trent Bridge there has been plenty of ambient noise about England’s batting failings. If we are to believe the ancient mariners of the press box and commentary gantry these are more to do with things like fibre and grit and moral courage than faltering technique or lack of Test match rhythm.
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