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Ashes Stats: Alastair Cook carries bat for Test record 244 in Melbourne

Cook first England opener to carry bat since Mike Atherton in 1997

Benedict Bermange

Cricket Statistician

Friday 29 December 2017 23:09, UK

MELBOURNE, AUSTRALIA - DECEMBER 29: Alastair Cook of England leaves the field unbeaten after Australia dismissed England during day four of the Fourth Tes
Image: Alastair Cook carried his bat for a Test record 244 in Melbourne

Alastair Cook carried his bat to a few more records on day four in Melbourne. Benedict Bermange has the all-important numbers...

Cook's unbeaten 244 is the highest individual score by any batsman carrying his bat through a Test innings.

Highest innings while carrying bat

Player Innings score Team total For Against Venue Year
AN Cook 244no 491 England Australia Melbourne 2017/18
GM Turner 223no 386 New Zealand Windies Kingston 1971/72
MS Atapattu 216no 428 Sri Lanka Zimbabwe Bulawayo 1999/2000
WA Brown 206no 422 Australia England Lord's 1938
L Hutton 202no 344 England Windies The Oval 1950
V Sehwag 201no 329 India Sri Lanka Galle 2008

England's total of 491 is the highest team total in which a player has carried his bat in Test cricket.

The last England batsman to carry his bat was Michael Atherton against New Zealand at Christchurch in 1997, while Cook is the first to achieve the feat at the Melbourne Cricket Ground.

Cook's 244 is the highest individual score in Test history which was not added to the following day. The previous record was held by Bradman who was unbeaten overnight on 223 after day one against Windies at Brisbane in 1930/31 and was dismissed without further addition on day two.

23rd March 1938: The most prolific run-maker ever, Sir Don Bradman (1908 - 2001), captain of the Australian test team, ready to bat.
Image: Like Cook, Don Bradman failed to add to his overnight double ton in a Test match

In his 10 innings prior to this one, Cook scored just 144 runs - the fewest by any batsmen in their 10 innings before carrying their bat:

144 - Alastair Cook
151 - Warren Bardsley
177 - Desmond Haynes
177 - Marvan Atapattu
178 - Jackie McGlew
216 - Warwick Armstrong

Also See:

Cook's highest scores in Test cricket are now:

294 v India at Edgbaston, 2011
263 v Pakistan, Abu Dhabi, 2015
244no v Australia, Melbourne, 2017
243 v Windies, Edgbaston, 2017
235no v Australia, Brisbane, 2010

Only two players have a higher "fifth-highest" individual score - Bradman (254) and Mahela Jayawardene (237).

Sri Lankan cricketer Mahela Jayawardene waves to the crowd during the fourth day of the second Test match between Sri Lanka and Pakistan
Image: Cook overtook Mahela Jayawardene for the number of Test runs in his innings but the Sri Lankan still tops him in one regard

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