Alastair Cook 'determined' to contribute after scoring 71 for England in final Test
"There is nothing worse than going out and not contributing. All the fuss about the week and you don't deliver the goods."
Saturday 8 September 2018 09:50, UK
Alastair Cook told Sky Sports he was "determined" to contribute after scoring 71 in the first innings of his 161st and final Test against India at The Oval.
England's all-time leading run-scorer, who announced his international retirement on Monday, notched his 57th Test fifty after being dropped on 37 by Ajinkya Rahane but missed out on a 33rd century after edging Jasprit Bumrah on to his stumps after tea.
"Because of the emotion I just did not want to not get a score," said Cook.
"I was so determined - there is nothing worse than going out and not contributing. All the fuss about the week and you don't deliver the goods. I am pleased with a bit of a score and disappointed to get out when I did.
"I don't really know why I missed it, to be honest. Whether it kept a bit lower than your subconscious brain thought, whether I could have got forward - I don't know. It was disappointing.
"It was a bad shot. But I imagine I'll be batting again."
Cook, playing his record 159th Test in a row, was given a guard of honour by India as he strode out to bat in the capital - but says his attention was on his batting.
"It all happened so quickly. It is really weird," added Cook, "The guard of honour is such a nice gesture, but you are just focused on batting.
"It doesn't matter if it is your first game or whatever game it is, and it is very kind of Virat and the Indians, but I was just focusing on the first ball. You probably don't really appreciate it. The reception I got was fantastic."
Cook had averaged just 15.57 across the first four matches against India with a top score of 29 and says kinder conditions at The Oval were key in him making runs.
"In a really strange way, despite averaging what I have been, I haven't actually been moving that badly," added Cook, who shared stands of 60 and 73 with Keaton Jennings (23) and Moeen Ali (50) respectively before England slumped from 133-1 to 198-7 by stumps.
"It has been testing conditions with the new ball but it didn't nip as much early on in this game, there wasn't that zip on a slightly slower wicket.
"There was then a bit of swing when the ball got older but I felt I knew where it was going."
Live Test Cricket
Watch day two of the fifth Test from 10am on Saturday on Sky Sports Cricket (channel 404) and Sky Sports Main Event (channel 401).
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