British media wins over Alastair Cook with their Beeracious gesture

The Oval Test was all about Alastair Cook. England had already secured the series, India were playing for pride but more importantly Cook, their longest serving Test cricketer was out there representing the team for one final time. A 19,000 strong crowd turned up on day 4 of the match and witnessed his 33rd Test hundred. Towards the end of the day, the British media also extended a gesture gifting him 33 beers, since he is a beer man.

Cook had already made the game memorable with a half century in the first innings, the first by an opener in this series. But he wasn’t done yet, he walked out to bat unbeaten on 46 on the penultimate day and there were a lot of hopes. From the fans as well as the media who wanted him to end in the best possible manner, scoring a hundred in the final outing.

He converted his fifty into a big knock, and as the ball raced to the boundary, everyone present at the venue stood on their feet and for nearly two minutes there was a continuous applause. He couldn’t help his emotions and was overwhelmed at the occasion. Cook carried on and was dismissed only after scoring 147 runs.

At the end of his career, the highest run-scorer for England has 12472 runs to his name with 33 centuries after 161 Tests which is all most by any player from the country. It was Cook who rightfully turned up at the press conference at the end of the day. A British media said that since he remembered the cricketer preferred Beer they initially got him 32 beers and then had to add one more when he got the last hundred. There were also personalised messages for their greatest batsman ever.

“On behalf of all the media, we appreciate everything you (Cook) have done as a player and a captain for England over the years but in particular in the way you have dealt with us. There have been some ups and downs, good and bad times, but you have always dealt with us very professionally. We have had a pretty good relationship all said and done,” a member of the British media told Cook.

“We just wanted to show our appreciation for everything and we got you a little gift. You said to me once that you are not really a wine drinker, you are a beer man, so we have got here 33 beers, one for each of your Test match hundred. And on each beer, there is a little message from each member of the media who have contributed in this.”

Here is the video:

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