Top 5 knocks by Alastair Cook

#1 235* vs Australia – Brisbane (2010)

Australia is a tough place to tour and if you are bogged down early it’s difficult to come back. But Alastair Cook in 2010 showed his class as he tormented and smashed the Aussies throughout the 2010-11 Ashes series Down Under.

England were behind early in the first Test. After scoring just 260 in the first innings, Australia made 481 and took a huge 221-run lead. And at the end of Day Three when England batted again, they were 19/0 but a comeback seemed very far. They needed to bat for at least a day and a half to save the game.

And they did exactly that. Alastair Cook, Andrew Strauss and Jonathan Trott – all scored hundreds as England managed to save the game. But it was Cook who stood out with his sheer concentration, discipline and determination. He was England’s highest scorer in the first innings as well. But in the second innings, the Essex opener batted and batted and just batted to frustrate Australia.

He scored 235 as England declared at 517/1 in their second innings. This knock from Cook set the tone for the series as he scored a couple more tons in the series and helped England win the Ashes.