‘There is absolutely no doubt the experience [of being a chorister at St Paul’s Cathedral] made me the cricketer I became,’ Sir Alastair Cook.
‘We were expected to learn quickly about the power of concentration and performing under pressure … There are parallels here with professional cricket … You are expected to be a team player, to commit to a common creed of dedication and self-discipline. The world is often watching… Music was similar to cricket in that we were judged collectively, but vulnerable to individual error … There is an ethereal quality to the best choirs, a natural ease and beauty. I’m not sure you can say the same about my batting, though I do consider myself a natural batsman in that I am largely self-taught. In the choir I read the notes; at the crease I watch the ball. I love the team battle in cricket, within the team context … You don’t often see the bigger picture when you’re ten, and aware of people saying you have real talent … The St Paul’s choir master [John Scott] had read me well. His final report concluded that he expected to hear more from me as a cricketer than a singer in the years to come. I enjoyed my musicality, and particularly enjoyed singing ‘Zadok the Priest’… My parents gave me the space as a boy to become my own man. Choir school taught me about an individual’s responsibility to the group.’
The above excerpts are from Sir Alastair Cook’s autobiography, published by Michael Joseph (Penguin) in September 2019.
Sir Alastair Cook is England’s greatest batsman.
In 12 years he achieved 12,472 runs, 161 Test matches, 33 hundreds, and 4 Ashes series wins. But such records only tell half the story. Cricket, the sport of gleaming whites and gentility, is polite, friendly, and reserved. But beneath the surface anxiety looms, tensions run high and emotions can be explosive. Alastair began and ended his England cricketing career on soaring highs, yet at times he feared for his career. He embodies the resilience, endurance and mental determination required at the highest level of international sport, fighting against the constant pressure and the ever-present fear of failure. To know Alastair Cook is to know what it takes to be successful, in any field. In his candid autobiography he captures what it takes to be one of England’s greatest sportsmen.
John Scott (b1956, d2015), Organist and Director Music at St Paul’s Cathedral (1990-2004), wrote about Alastair in 2012:
“As a chorister, Alastair was always very composed, very focused, and very responsible. I think the only time he was late for a rehearsal was the first one, when he had just arrived as a new boarder. He was brought down into the crypt underneath St Paul’s Cathedral, and I was there with 30 boys he had never met before. It would have been quite a daunting experience for most eight year-olds, but he just looked at me calmly and said: “Where do I stand?” Our boys learn to focus and concentrate, to work as part as a team. Alastair wasn’t one of the leaders in the choir — we had some real star soloists at that time — but he was a fine singer and a valued member of the group. He did act as a soloist in 1998 for a recording we made of 18th-century music written by Handel and others. He was the lowest of three voices and he sang beautifully. He was always a natural as a cricketer and I remember him scoring a hundred in the big derby match against Westminster Abbey. But I’m afraid I did cross swords with his father about it once, because they wanted him to have a weekend off to train with the Essex juniors. I remember it was bad timing for some reason – it might have been Easter – and we had a whole series of services to perform, so I had to say no. Still, I do follow his career with great interest and I was delighted to see that he broke another record the other day. When I left St Paul’s in 2004 we had a dinner for old choristers and I was very touched that he came to say goodbye.”
Reviews –
‘Bracingly honest about the brutal nature of professional cricket.’ The Times
‘A fascinating and layered book which delves into the psychological challenges of the game . . . a timely read.’ Guardian
Support work of Marie Curie:
Buying his book via the following link will also benefit the terminal illness support work of Marie Curie:
[https://smile.amazon.co.uk/Autobiography-Sir-Alastair-Cook/dp/0241401429/ref=sr_1_1 ]
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