10,000 milestone has driven me for years: Cook

Monday’s nine-wicket success in the second Test at the Riverside gave England an unbeatable 2-0 lead in the three-match campaign. 

The fourth and, as it turned out, final day’s play also saw the 31-year-old Cook become the youngest player, and first from England, to score 10,000 Test runs during his 47 not out. 

That he had a second innings was due to some long-awaited Sri Lankan resistance with the bat. 

Their first innings 101, made in response to England’s 498 for nine declared featuring Moeen Ali’s Testbest 155 not out, followed equally meagre totals of 91 and 119 during an innings defeat in the first Test at Headingley. 

But with Dinesh Chadimal scoring 126 and skipper Angelo Mathews making 80, Sri Lanka’s vastly-improved second innings 475 left England needing 79 for victory. 

“The 10,000 has been a milestone that has driven me over the last few years,” said left-handed opener Cook. 

“You get tested at the top of the order in all conditions against the best bowlers bowling with the new ball ... And I’m glad I have hung around long enough not to get dropped,” added Cook, a veteran of 128 Tests. 

As an opener, Cook knows all about the need for mental resilience and he was proud to see England show similar traits. “It was tough. The pitch died a death and was a bit more like Colombo than the Chester-le-Street we have known in the past,” he said after England recorded their sixth victory in as many Tests at north-east county Durham’s headquarters. 

“They (Sri Lanka) made us work hard for it, and sometimes it is a bit sweeter that way because you feel you have earned it. It was a slog today (Monday) and yesterday (Sunday), and James Anderson’s five for 50 in those conditions showed his class,” said Cook after the paceman was named man-of-the-match.