Cook Opens a Can Of Worms

Former England cricketer and Captain Alistair Cook has been awarded a Knighthood in the New Year’s Honours list in England. Some feel that this is just reward for a career opening the batting for England and Essex. Yet judging by the reaction on social media there were an equal amount of people who felt that he did not deserve such an accolade at this point in his life.

For the record Cook becomes the 31st former first class cricketer to be Knighted. He is also the youngest ex-player to receive such an honour. Nine of these recipients received their award not for cricket, but for other services to the community. For example England’s Ian Botham received his in 2007 for services to Charity. West Indian Learie Constantine received his for his work as a lawyer, politician and diplomat after he stopped playing.

As far as the record books show only one Cricketer has turned down a knighthood, and that was Australia’s Bill Woodfull. He was informed that the King wished to bestow a Knighthood upon him for the way he had behaved during the infamous Bodyline series. Woodfull who was a school teacher declined, as he always felt he contributed far more in that field than on the Cricket field. Twenty nine years after turning down the knighthood he was recognised for his work in education and was given the OBE.

Cook has broken numerous records during his career and now has broken another, as he will be the youngest former Cricketer to receive such an honour. Cook is aged 34 at the present time.

Australia’s Don Bradman was 41 years of age when he was knighted, England’s Len Hutton who was the first professional to Captain England was 40, and New Zealander Richard Hadlee was 38 years old. Even the greatest all rounder of them all Gary Sobers had to wait until he was 39 to receive his knighthood.

Prior to the start of the second test of the New Zealand/England series in 1990 the Queen’s Birthday Honours were announced and included Hadlee’s appointment as a Knight Bachelor for services to cricket. Hadlee was invested with his knighthood on the 4th October 1990 after playing his final test match on 10 July 1990. He did however become Sir Richard upon the publishing date of the Honours List.

The only other person to be knighted while still an active Test Cricketer was Lt.-Col. Sir Maharajkumar Dr. Vijayananda Gajapathi Raju; better known as the Maharajkumar of Vizianagram or Vizzy. Knighted in 1936 Vizzy was recognised for his administrative efforts, not his services to cricket as a player.

There is no doubt that Alistair cook has served his country well on the sporting field. He is England’s highest all time scorer, he has also played more Test matches for England than any other player. He accumulated 12,474 runs in 161 matches. When one takes that into consideration he should be England’s highest run scorer as that was his job as an opening batsman.

In the top ten England players in terms of appearances there are five players who regularly opened the batting for England: Alec Stewart (Avg 39.54), Graham Gooch (Avg 42.58), Michael Atherton (Avg 37.69), Geoffrey Boycott (Avg 47.72) and Cook (Avg 45.35).

If we looked at all five players in terms of runs scored per innings – so not taking into account Not Outs – Cook’s average from 291 innings would be 42.85. Gooch’s average from 215 innings would be 41.39, Stewart’s from 235 innings would be 36.14. Atherton’s average from his 212 innings would be 36.45 and Boycott’s from his 193 innings would be 42.04.

All of these players captained England. although Boycott only for two Tests in 1978 against Pakistan and New Zealand, when Mike Brearley was injured; he was replaced upon Brearley’s return. He won one, drew two and lost one.

Gooch was captain in 34 matches and England won 10, drew 12 and lost 12 during his leadership. Alec Stewart was captain of England 15 times, and England won four matches lost eight and drew three during that time. Michael Atherton’s record as Captain saw him in charge 54 times and his teams won 13, lost 21 and drew 20 games. Cook captained England 59 times for 24 wins, 22 losses and drew 13.

This gives Gooch a win percentage of 29%, Stewart 26%, Atherton 24% Cook’s is 40% and Boycott 25%.

Cricket is a game that loves statistics and based on these Cook edges ahead of some of England’s more recent captains and great run scorers. However is it enough for him to be afforded a Knighthood?

As mentioned Cook has established a number of records. As mentioned he is currently England’s most-capped player. He also captained the team in an English record 59 Tests and 69 ODIs. Again as mentioned he is England’s leading leading run-scorer in Test matches, but he is also the youngest player to complete 12,000 Test runs. Only the sixth player to achieve this milestone, and the only Englishman. He has also scored a record 33 Test centuries for England and is the first England player to take part in 50 Test victories. He is also the highest scoring left-handed batsman in Tests.

In the overall picture of English cricket seven players finished their careers with a Test average of over 50. Herbert Sutcliffe, Eddie Paynter, Ken Barrington, Walter Hammond, Jack Hobbs and Len Hutton all averaged over 55. Ernest Tyldesley finished with an average of exactly 55. Joe Root current England captain has an average of over 50 but can he maintain that until retirement?

Of those seven player only Hobbs and Hutton received a Knighthood. Hobbs scored 5410 runs in 102 Test innings while Hutton amassed 6971 in 138 innings. Both opened the batting and Hutton captained England. Both also scored 100 first class hundreds. So too did Sutcliffe, Hammond, Tyldesley, Boycott and Gooch. Cook has 63 centuries to his name.

Having retired in September of this year after what has been a wonderful career, it does seem a little premature to be receiving such an accolade. As some cynics have stated it looks like another example of the incumbent Government in the UK trying to court favour with the masses by elevating popular sports stars. Ex-Prime Minister Tony Blair being on the of the first to use the Honours list to win votes. If that is so you cannot blame Cook.

Has he been afforded this accolade based on the records he has broken and set? If so does that mean that every player that breaks his records will be given the same reward? What about those whose records he broke?

There is no doubt his award will continue to create debate, as to other players from past eras who were not recognised for their contribution in England and overseas. However, maybe it is best to go back to one of the great cricket writers, who himself received a Knighthood, for services to music and cricket journalism, Neville Cardus.

Cardus nearing the end of his working life bemoaned the trend for the press to constantly praise the England team for “its efficiency.” He went on to write in The Spectator, “they do a good job of work. Maybe. But the plumber who comes to my flat to put my bath tap right also does ‘a good job of work.’ None the less, I don’t want to pay to watch him doing it.”

If doing one’s job well was the requirement for such an award then there would be thousands who have reason to feel slighted.