'A performance like that gives you a lot of pride'
On a personal level, the first Test at Lord's couldn't really have gone much better, scoring a hundred in the first innings, 65 in the second and getting man of the match. Obviously I would have liked to go on in the second innings and get a hundred but you always get greedy once you get in! I really should have gone on in the first innings because once you reach a hundred it's important to go on and get a big hundred and try and make an even bigger difference for your side. Unfortunately it wasn't to be and, to be fair to Corey Collymore, he got me with a very good ball in the second innings.
But I'm happy with my form and it was nice to get man of the match. A performance like that gives you a lot of pride and confidence to take into the next game but it's really about the overall performance of the team and to only get a draw was disappointing.
Going into the fifth day we were confident we could bowl out the West Indies and get the victory but the pitch was very flat and good for batting, as Lord's wickets tend to be. But you never know because if you get a couple in a hurry, pressure becomes a very strange thing. Monty Panesar bowled beautifully, managed to get some turn on a flat pitch and thoroughly deserved his name on that honours board. Unfortunately, our task of bowling the West Indies out was hampered not only by the weather but the injury to Matthew Hoggard. To miss someone of Hoggy's bowling class early on Saturday was disappointing but unfortunately that's sport and there's nothing you can do about it. Hopefully his groin strain's not too serious and he'll be back quickly.
Our batting was a big highlight. To have five different centurions in the match is no mean feat. In Australia, we didn't score the runs we should have done and we made a point that we have to improve and score the big runs so we're very happy with the team performance.
Monty bowled beautifully
As we look forward to the second test at Headingley, we're mindful that there are areas we can improve on. Nobody went on and got a really big hundred and the bowlers might say that they possibly didn't get enough balls in the right areas. But it was a good start, it's a long summer and if we can improve slightly we won't be too far away from where we want to be.
" we’re very happy with the team performance "
Tuesday's a bit of a travel day up to Yorkshire and the team will meet up in the evening, chill out at our hotel and recover the body before getting back down to business and focused for another game.
I played at Headingley for England against Pakistan last summer but I really don't know too much about how the wicket's going to play this time around. Headingley normally produces a result wicket so hopefully it will benefit us. There could be some changes for the next match and if Vaughney's fit and Freddie's fit they're obviously world class players and will probably come in. But it's not down to me and my only concern is scoring enough runs to keep my place.
Alastair Cook.
22nd May 2007
