England skipper and Essex opener Alastair Cook scored his first century in five months, and celebrated the feat by a ' rock the baby' sign to indicate both his relief over overcoming his poor form with the bat, as well as to celebrate the birth of his daughter earlier this month.
Cook scored an elegant and unbeaten 139 on the second day of Essex's County Championship game against Derbyshire at Chelmsford, the first time in 21 innings he had reached three figures since an equally low-key fixture against Australia A in Hobart more than five months ago.
According to The Guardian, he celebrated with a Bebeto-style celebration.
The others to score and in the running for a spot in the England squad for summer Tests against Sri Lanka and India, were Ian Bell (144), who dragged Warwickshire out of trouble against Sussex, and Sam Robson, the Sydney-born Middlesex batsman who is on course to replace Michael Carberry as Cook's opening partner. He made 144 not out in their game against Nottinghamshire.
Cook's daughter Elsie was born on April 3.
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