ALASTAIR Cook will have a reassuring partner at hand on and off the field as he tries to put England back on track in the second Test against Pakistan.

He and wife Alice, who arrived here on Sunday along with the rest of the England team’s nearest and dearest, are still comparatively at the start of their lives together after their New Year’s Eve wedding.

But in cricketing terms, Cook will be able to count on an almost equally familiar face when he goes out to bat at the Sheikh Zayed Stadium – alongside Andrew Strauss, for the 100th time in Tests.

Cook and Strauss’ sentry duty at the top of the batting order began with the former’s Test debut against India in Nagpur almost six years ago.

It has not been unbroken but is already England’s most prolific in terms of innings and matches and, at some stage this week, will join only three others worldwide in the history of Test cricket to extend into three figures.

As the two left-handers seek to erase the shock and bad memories of England’s 10- wicket defeat inside three days in Dubai last week, neither could hope to have a more accustomed presence by their side.

Cook had to leave his new wife behind within two days of their marriage when England duty called three weeks ago.

As for his cricketing partner, a winning chemistry and empathy works on the pitch too – and Cook is hoping he and Strauss can mark their century in style.

‘‘We’re very similar in character and we do enjoy batting together,’’ he said. ‘‘We hope, for the 100th time, we can do something special.’’ How England need them to as well, after an uncharacteristically abject batting display not just from the openers but the entire top six in the first Test.

Cook draws confidence from the many good times, from Ashes exploits to the ascent to the top of the world Test rankings, in which he and Strauss have served England so well.

‘‘It’s always nice to have stability at the top of the order, and I hope we inspire some confidence in the rest of the team when we do walk out together,’’ he said.

‘‘We’ve had some great moments.

Probably the highlight for me would be Australia at Lord’s (in 2009) – when, after not batting so well in Cardiff, we came back and set a really good platform.

‘‘Then there was Brisbane (last winter) as well – they’re the two that stand out for me.’’ Opening stands of 196 and 188 sapped Australian confidence on those two famous occasions, and Cook feels indebted to Strauss’ permanence and reliability.

The captain has not been at his most convincing of late, and is without a hundred since that backs-to-the-wall defiance at the Gabba 14 months ago.

But Cook said: ‘‘He’s got a great record proven over a number of years, and to have the experience at the top of the order has held us in good stead.

‘‘It’s our job at the top of the order to lay that platform. We didn’t do that in Dubai, and that’s one of the reasons why we didn’t get a good total.

‘‘It’s not the be-all and endall, but it’s certainly a major responsibility and always has been.

‘‘Whoever you open the batting for, you have to lay as good a platform as you can for the boys.

‘‘We have done it, but just didn’t last week – and it cost us.’’