Cook deflects Durham praise

Geoff Cook enjoys Durham's second LV= County Championship triumph, the highlight of a "really gratifying season"

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Modest does not do it justice.

Durham have just celebrated a second successive LV= County Championship title, sealed courtesy of a crushing innings-and-52-run win over nearest challengers Nottinghamshire.

It represented an eighth victory for Durham this summer - no other team has managed more than three - and allowed them to toast another championship crown with two games to spare.

If ever there was a scenario when a coach could afford himself a pat on the back and a smidgen of self-satisfaction, this surely was it.

Or maybe not.

Geoff Cook, Durham’s director of cricket, refuses to accept any of the credit for his side’s feats, and insists he takes minimal personal pleasure from their retaining the most prized trophy in domestic cricket.

“I bring the balls to the matches - that’s about it,” Cook told the TweltfhMan Podcast, not entirely in jest.

When asked how much their title success meant to him, he replied: “I wouldn’t say a massive amount personally. It’s been a really gratifying season; I’ve enjoyed it.

“It’s lovely for Durham and the people of Durham to taste success after quite a few years of struggling a little bit.

“It’s nice to be involved with Durham when it’s doing well. A lot of us have put in a lot of hours to get the club where it is now, and it’s nice for everybody involved within the club not to have the pressure of a struggling unit.”

Expressions of self-worth from Cook may be as rare as an English summer without rain, but he is more than happy to sing the praises of the players in his command.

“The international players have come really strong when it’s mattered,” he added.

“Stephen Harmison has been excellent all season. Graham Onions was brilliant early-season. Generally the senior men - (Dale) Benkenstein, (Michael) Di Venuto, (Shivnarine) Chanderpaul when he’s come - Liam Plunkett in the second half of the season...

Will Smith enjoyed immediate success in his first year in charge - and won high praise from Cook for his willingness to learn

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“They’re not only excellent cricketers, but they’re excellent people as well. They gelled together with the younger cricketers and the team spirit is good.

“Generally, within a game somebody has come up trumps when it has mattered. It’s been a really strong team effort.”

Durham’s triumph represented instant reward for Will Smith, who, in his first season as captain, matched the achievement of Benkenstein, his predecessor.

The highly-regarded Smith demonstrated a maturity beyond his 25 years during a season which could yet end with Durham unbeaten in the championship.

“It’s been different this year, having to work alongside Will Smith, who’s a new captain, a relatively inexperienced cricketer,” said Cook.

“So the role within the managerial set-up was a little bit different to the one with Dale, who was an experienced, knowledgeable cricketer.

“He is terrifically keen to learn the job. He knows his lack of experience was going to limit him but he’s very keen to lean on his senior people and he’s learned very quickly as the season has gone on.”

Such has been the gulf in class between Durham and the rest of the division this season that thoughts have already begin to drift towards a third successive title next year, a feat most recently achieved by Yorkshire from 1966-68.

The 2009 campaign may not have run its course, but Cook has already issued a challenge to his squad: “It’s the players’ responsibility to make sure they keep their foot on the pedal and try and keep it going forward.

“If, as it happened this season, everybody retains the purposefulness and togetherness, then we should have a reasonable sort of chance - given fair weather and a fair amount of luck.”