Captain Cook creates history (From The Northern Echo)

Captain Cook creates history

8:00am Thursday 16th February 2012 in Sport

Alastair Cook made history as the only England captain ever to hit back-to-back one-day international hundreds.

Yet he relegated his own performance, adding 102 to his career-best 137 two days ago, below that of his team as the tourists hunted as a pack to beat Pakistan by 20 runs and go 2-0 up with two to play.

Cook again underpinned England and again had Ravi Bopara (58) for support, in a total of 250 for four.

Then tigerish fielding, and fine bowling from Steven Finn (four for 34) with the new and old ball, pegged Pakistan to 230 all out in 49 overs.

"To score two hundreds in a row doesn't happen very often in any form of cricket," said Cook.

"Obviously I'm delighted and, with a little bit of luck along the way, thankfully I made it count.

"But you're not quite so bothered about your own batting as captain, because you're thinking about the team."

Most rewarding for him was that England followed up Monday's victory, also at the Zayed Stadium, to put themselves on course for a series victory which will make up in small part for their Test whitewash against Pakistan.

"We've been saying all along you don't become bad players overnight, so it's important when you do get a little bit of a run you cash in," he said.

"I'm delighted I managed to do that.

"I thought the way we handled the pressure as a side - with (Shahid) Afridi in, they were in the game because seven-an-over is nothing - held our nerve and stayed calm was a big difference from what we have done.

"Everyone contributed to a really good team performance, a really good win. Everyone can go home tonight and feel they've contributed to an England win."

Cook concluded mid-innings that yesterday's stodgy surface would make it especially difficult for Pakistan to chase under lights.

"It was a slower wicket, and harder to time the ball on, so we thought around 250 would be a really challenging score," he said. "From the position we got into, we possibly could have got 260-265.

"But I think both sides found on that wicket that when the ball got soft it became really hard to hit - so we knew when we went out to bowl those first 20 odd overs were crucial.

"If we could keep them down below the rate, we knew how hard it would be towards the back-end of the innings - and that proved right."

Opener Mohammad Hafeez was among a clutch of Pakistani batsmen who got started but could not go on to play a match-winning hand.

He gave due credit to Cook and Finn, in particular, but still believes Misbah-ul-Haq's team can fight back to share the series in Dubai.

"We wanted to come hard in these one-dayers as well," he said.

"But England have played very good cricket - especially Alastair Cook, who has been very solid.

"I personally still think we can come back, because we believe in our team and have many match-winners in our side."

As for Finn, so economical in his first five-over spell and then in the wickets when he returned, Hafeez added: "He bowled very well, seam movement under lights in the first game and reverse swing this time.

"When we were chasing 250 we were very confident. But when Shahid Afridi got out, they really bowled well."