How Alastair Cook rose to the summit of England century makers

Thursday, December 6, 2012
12:23 PM

Alastair Cook scored his 23rd Test century in the third Test against India, taking him to the summit on England ton makers.

Redemption: With his England place under threat. Alastair Cook brought up his 100 to keep his place. Picture: Gareth Copley/PA Archive

At 27, only injury or illness can prevent him from topping all the batting charts in England history.

Here is a run-down of his career so far.

1984: Born in Gloucester on Christmas Day.

1999-2002: Breaks all batting records at Bedford School, making 19 centuries in all.

England's Alastair Cook celebrates reaching his double century during the first Ashes Test at the Gabba in Brisbane, Australia. Picture: Gareth Copley/PA Archive

2000: Plays for England Under-15s in their World Cup and makes his Essex second XI debut at the age of 15.

2003: Makes an unbeaten half-century on first-class debut against Nottinghamshire at Chelmsford. Represents England Under-19s.

2003-04: Makes back-to-back unbeaten hundreds in England Under-19s’ World Cup campaign in Bangladesh.

2004: Captains England Under-19s against Bangladesh. Makes maiden first-class century against Leicestershire at Chelmsford.

Alastair Cook celebrates his hundred at Lord's. Picture: Sean Dempsey/PA Archive

2005: Makes almost 1,300 first-class runs at 48.03, including a double-century in the two-day tour match against Australia at Chelmsford.

2006: February - Summoned by injury-ravaged England from the A tour of the West Indies to stand by for a Test debut against India in Nagpur.

March 1 - Makes his Test debut in Nagpur and scores 60 in the first innings and a century in the second.

June 28 - Makes one-day international debut at Old Trafford against Sri Lanka.

First of many: Alastair Cook brings up his maiden Test century on his England debut in India. Picture: Rebecca Naden/PA Archive

December - Scores 116 in the third Ashes Test in Perth but England lose series 5-0.

2007: August - Makes maiden one-day international century against India at the Rose Bowl.

2008: February - Announces he will put playing for England ahead of an appearance in the lucrative Indian Premier League.

2009: July - Makes a top score of 95 as England claim a 2-1 Ashes win over Australia.

November 15 - Debut as England captain. The tourists lose the Twenty20 international against South Africa by 84 runs. Is later fined by the ICC for a slow over-rate.

2010: January 18 - Named England captain for the tour to Bangladesh after Andrew Strauss is rested.

March - Leads England to a sweep of their two-Test and three-ODI series against Bangladesh.

August - Responds to calls for him to be dropped by scoring a Test century against Pakistan at The Oval.

November - Hits a career-best unbeaten 235 to help England draw the first Ashes Test in Brisbane.

2011: January - Scores a series-best 766 runs as England win the Ashes in Australia for the first time in 24 years.

May 5 - Named England’s ODI captain in place of Strauss.

July 9 - Leads England to a 3-2 NatWest ODI series win over Sri Lanka with victory at Old Trafford.

July 19 - Signs a two-year contract extension with Essex.

August 12 - Scores a new career-best 294 in 13 hours at the crease in the Third Test against India at Edgbaston.

September 11 - Leads England to a one-day series win over India as a tied match at Lord’s leaves the home side 2-0 ahead with one match to play.

2012: February - Named player of the ODI series against Pakistan after scoring two centuries and a half-century in four matches.

August 8 - England go top of the ODI world rankings for the first time after winning 10 successive matches in 2012, though their reign lasts only three weeks.

August 29 - Named England Test captain after Strauss announces his retirement from professional cricket.

November 18 - Completes a second-innings 176 against India in his first Test as permanent captain.

December 6 - Ends day two of the third Test unbeaten on 136 to become the first English batsman to make 23 Test centuries, and the youngest batsman ever to make 7,000 Test runs.