England batsmen in race to make history

On the first day of the first Test Match against South Africa on Thursday, Alastair Cook hit his twentieth Test century. He was eventually dismissed on the second morning for 115. And so continues one of the richest veins of batting form in world cricket. True, he has not hit the heights of the 2010-11 Ashes Series in Australia. In that series he recorded three centuries (from seven innings) and amassed 766 runs at an average of just under 130. That series well and truly silenced his critics; his place had become under question as he struggled for consistency. Cook’s form continued through the 2011 English cricket season where he added another three centuries, including his career best 294. However, since then he had failed to hit another Test match century (despite coming close on more than one occasion). Interestingly, his promotion to the One-Day International captaincy has invigorated his form in that form of the game. Not only has he now led England to ten consecutive ODI wins, but he has added four centuries (having only scored one previous ton in ODIs). He has now become England’s most reliable batsman.

Now that Cook has reached the milestone of twenty, he will surely have in mind the England Test record of 22, held jointly by Geoff Boycott, Wally Hammond and Colin Cowdrey. It would appear inevitable that, without career-ending injury other unforeseeable circumstances, Cook will end his career with this record, and almost certainly extend it far beyond its current 22. Cook is only 27 years old, having played in 81 Tests since his debut six years ago. It would be well within his capabilities to double that appearance figure before he retires. He is also the obvious successor to Andrew Strauss as England captain. It has been common for England captains to see their form deteriorate as a result of the added burden, Michael Vaughan being a prime example in recent years. Yet Cook’s ODI form since receiving the captaincy in that form of the game would suggest that, if anything, captaincy should push him on to improve the rate at which he makes big scores. He certainly has the potential to end his career as England’s statistically greatest batsman.

However there are two other players who sit lurking in the wings to take down the record for most centuries by an Englishman. Andrew Strauss has now reached 21 Test centuries, just one away from tying the current mark, whilst Kevin Pietersen is on 20 with Alastair Cook. All three will, therefore, by vying to be the man to take down the current mark. Strauss is the closest, but it would be fair to say that he no longer scores centuries at the rate he once did. Since his debut in 2004 up to and including 2009, Strauss hit at least three centuries every year, except for 2007 when a decline in form saw him lose his place in the team. Since 2010, he has only hit three centuries, although admittedly he has experienced a renaissance in 2012 with two hundreds. Pietersen will, in the long-term, be the greatest challenger with Cook for the title of ‘Most prolific Test match century-maker for England.’ Strauss is now 35 and reaching the twilight of his international career.  Pietersen is 32 and should have a good few years left in the team, especially considering his recent retirement from ODIs and Twenty20 Internationals.

All three will be looking to equal the mark this series against South Africa. Pietersen, of course, has significant history with his former countrymen and for him more than the others, two centuries would be of added importance. He also has the most explosive ability of the trio, and if he gets the bit between his teeth he is easily capable of hitting back-to-back hundreds. Strauss only needs one more ton to reach 22, but his first innings duck in the First Test shows the task he has ahead of him considering his patchy current form. Cook would appear to be the front-runner. He has a tendency, as in the most recent Ashes, to get into the habit of scoring centuries. He rarely looked troubled when hitting 115 in the first innings on Thursday, and when in the mood he can become almost impossible to dismiss. This should be of concern to South Africa, who can’t be reliant upon the sort of collapse England suffered on Friday in order to win the series. If Cook’s form remains imperious, then all that is needed is for England’s middle-order to show greater resolution than in this Test.

If I was a betting man, I would back Cook to get to the mark first. He has been England’s best batsman for almost two years now, and shows no sign of letting that tag slip. Perhaps most importantly for Cook, he has more time in which to build up his statistics. Even if he does not reach 22, or surpass it, first, he will almost certainly end his career as the leader. From and England stand-point, it is no coincidence that one of the periods of greatest success for England has coincided with the prosperity of these three prolific run-scorers. Looking to the future, any competition between them to be the first to reach the new record can only be positive. Hopefully, some friendly rivalry within the team in this series will propel England to a series win as the three compete to be the first man to break the record.