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Today at the Cathedral View More

Former Cathedral chorister named England Test cricket captain

29 August 2012

St Paul's Cathedral and the St Paul's Cathedral School send their best wishes to former chorister Alastair Cook, on the announcement of his appointment as England Test cricket captain.

Alastair, who sang in the Cathedral choir from 1994-1999, now adds the Test captaincy to the one-day post he has held for two years. He is the 79th man to hold the post in 136 years.

He came to board at St Paul’s Cathedral School aged eight and his passion for cricket was evident even at this early age. During one match against Westminster Abbey, he scored 110 of St Paul's total of 127 runs.

Tim Roslin, who was games master, recalled: "I can only remember three occasions when he failed. He would get at least 50 nearly every time… There was a place at the school called the Jungle Room where they could watch TV and whenever the cricket was on you knew he would be there.”

However, cricket was not the only activity placing demands on the young chorister's time. As a chorister he went on tours to Holland and Brazil, as well as singing a treble solo for a St Paul’s Cathedral Choir CD.

He had to fit in cricket practice around a busy timetable of school and choir rehearsals. Both he and his parents have asserted that the discipline, concentration and hard work required to manage this rigorous schedule from a young age, have had a positive impact on his cricketing abilities.

Alastair has helped England to achieve various cricketing victories since his Test debut in 2006. He is the youngest Englishman to reach 1000, 2000, 3000, 4000, 5000 and 6000 Test runs and is the only Englishman to score seven Test centuries before his 23^rdbirthday.

WATCH ALASTAIR COOK AS A CHORISTER IN THE 1997 CATHEDRAL CHRISTMAS CONCERT (1m11s)