West Ham Online

https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/cricket/67023224

"ha ha Sorry, don't recall any of your input or opinions at all."

Some people need to try EXTRA HARD for attention because there is a huge VOID IN THEIR LIVES. Sometimes a NAME CHANGE does the trick. Other times WRITING IN CAPITALS will work. But make sure that you ALWAYS have some POINTLESS STATISTICS in your back pocket so that you GET THE ATTENTION you need to FILL THE VOID.

Thought he’d play another season at least. Saw the Middlesex game at the end of the season and thought he was the best batsman in the match

Thought Cook report stopped decades ago

ha ha Ironically Cook and Bradman had a similar number of Ashes Test innings Figures tend to diverge a bit after that .... Pietersen is a good call over the last 20 years. Though I'd still rank Cook and Root ahead of him as as far as I know neither of them texted opponents with hints of how to get teammates out. Pietersen was always going to be indulged while he was useful and binned quickly when he declined. Congratulations to Andrew Flintoff who I understand has been given £9m by the BBC for his Top Gear injuries.

If you take out all of his Test hundreds - Bradman only averages about 34. So even he has a pretty variable record.

"Best England test COMBATANT against the Aussies over the past two decades? A certain Kevin Peter Pietersen needs to be in the mix. Batting average of 45 (46 away, 44 home), a four to two series victory success rate with a test win/loss ratio of 9:12 in his twenty seven Ashes. Better numbers than the 'big four' mentioned below. Plus his one Ashes wicket made Michael Clarke look like an absolute plum, with Clarke refusing to walk after middling one to fine leg before being given on review."

Very variable record in Australia 1 brilliant series in 2010/11 with 766 runs in 6 completed innings 1 standout score at Melbourne of 244 no on the dead MCG in the DEBACLE of the 2017/18 Ashes Otherwise 28 dismissals at 23 The most effective match winner / series decider has probably been Broad So actually glad to see the back of him

"Hard to pick England's greatest Ashes COMBATANT over the last 20 years ... As Away Ashes series wins are very rare this century (only 1, England), I'd say Cook, as he averages 49 in Australia. Strangely averages under 30 against them in England and never scored a home Ashes century. Mind you, didn't need to at home, with other batters performing well, Cook having a 100% series win rate, at home to the convicts. Brilliant test and first class batsman, who made the most of the ability he had. Even managed to score a domestic T20 century."

Happy retirement Sir Alastair

Presume he has a full time seat on Test Match Special lined up? With Broad taking a Sky Sports BLAZER

Great servant to club and country. Enjoy your retirement Chef!

Sad day. A true legend for both Essex and England.

So his last competitive match was losing the County Championship to SURREY?

Was always surprised he retired after the 2018 summer as imagined he (and Anderson) were going to aim to finish the following summer on the balcony of the Oval with the regained Ashes Especially as he played 5 more years of county cricket Hard to pick England's greatest Ashes COMBATANT over the last 20 years ... Cook P35 W11 D6 L18 average 40 Root P34 W10 D6 L18 average 40 Anderson P39 W11 D8 L20 bowling average 36 Broad P40 W13 D9 L18 bowling average 29

It was let out the bag in commentary on Essex Cricket TV during the Hampshire match a month ago to which they then had to back track. Terrific servant for county and country but with a number of young batsmen knocking on the door at Essex Chef has made the right decision.

What a player.