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Alastair Cook is the most mentally strong player ever to represent England, says Nasser Hussain, as the skipper approaches 10,000 Test runs... I dont think there is too much difference from the Alastair Cook with zero Test runs to the one closing in on 10,000.His technique hasnt changed much, while on and off the field he is the same lad - there is no massive ego, hes just the quiet Essex boy who goes about his business. But, for my mind, he is the most mentally strong cricketer England have ever produced.His great mentor, Graham Gooch, was very good in that regard, as were Graham Thorpe, a man who loved heading out of the dressing room with the pressure on, and Michael Atherton - but Cook probably pips it.He has had tough times in career but always responded, including against Pakistan in 2010 when he was almost in a last-chance-saloon situation ahead of The Ashes and scored a hundred.He always challenges himself, never takes the easy road, and is determined to prove people wrong, which is one of his greatest strengths. Cook scored a century on his Test debut in Nagpur in 2006 I have to say that when I first saw him he was this tall, gangly lad with a stiff leg and a heavy head who tended to fall over!It was Keith Fletcher who turned to me and said: Watch out for this boy, hes going to be an exceptional talent, and when I saw him again on his first Test appearance in Nagpur I realised what Fletcher was going on about.To fly out to India that week and get a hundred on debut showed what a good player of spin he was and how strong he was in the mind - I knew then just how special a talent England had and would have for years to come.Nowhere was that more evident than in Australia during the 2010-11 Ashes. Cook dominated Australia in the 2010-11 Ashes, scoring 766 runs at 127.66 Cook went out there under a bit of pressure having only scored one hundred, plus a 95, against Australia in 19 Test innings, but, boy, did he deliver - Brisbane, Adelaide, wherever he went, he smashed it.I doubt he will ever play as well as that.Alastair is one of the best players of a ball above waist high that I have seen in the game - he is exceptional at cutting, pulling and clipping off his hip.Plus, his stubbornness means he is fully prepared take six hours to get a hundred, rather than the three that it might take someone like Ben Stokes. Is Cook Englands greatest Test batsman? Thats all subjective. What he is, though, is the best he could ever possibly be and thats what will give him the most pride. Nasser Hussain Is he Englands greatest Test batsman? Thats all subjective - youve got Joe Root now and youve had Gooch, Kevin Pietersen and Geoffrey Boycott in the past.What Cook is, though, is the best he could ever possibly be and thats what will give him the most pride - not being better than anyone else but being the best Alastair Cook.He is a phenomenal player who has worked incredibly hard and hell be around and breaking records for a long time yet.See if Cook reaches 10,000 Test runs when England play Sri Lanka in the first Test at Headingley, from 10am, Thursday, Sky Sports 2. Will England start their Test Match summer with a win over Sri Lanka? You can watch all the action live on Sky Sports from Thursday at 10am Also See: The 10,000 run club WATCH: Cooks career highs England fixtures/results Get Sky Sports Cheap Tom Seaver Jersey . The game got off to a less-than-ideal start for the Jets as Oliver Ekman-Larsson found a wide open net from the slot and opened the scoring for the Coyotes a lead in the first period, but Olli Jokinen answered back just over half a minute later. Cheap Mets Jerseys Authentic .ca MLB Power Rankings, the third consecutive week that the As have held top spot and the third straight week that they have been one ahead of the Toronto Blue Jays. http://www.cheapmetsjerseys.com/ . You can, too, Clay Buchholz, if we ignore the sixth inning of Game 2. Doug Fister and Jake Peavy, youre up next in Game 4 and theres a lot to live up to. Cheap Darryl Strawberry Jersey . The victory strengthened Liverpools position in the top four after Tottenham lost 1-0 at Norwich in the days late kickoff, cutting the north London club six points adrift of fourth place and the final Champions League slot for next season. Cheap Pedro Martinez Jersey . Ryu (8-3) allowed a run and three hits in six innings and struck out six in his 13th start. In his first 13 starts last season -- his first in the major leagues -- the left-hander was 8-5 with a 2.85 ERA. This was the ninth time this year that Ryu has allowed fewer than three earned runs, and he is 7-0 in those games. MONACO -- Roger Federer will try to win the Monte Carlo Masters for the first time and Stanislas Wawrinka his first Masters title anywhere when they meet in an all-Swiss final on Sunday. Federer ousted defending champion Novak Djokovic 7-5, 6-2 on Saturday, after Wawrinka had beaten sixth-seeded David Ferrer of Spain 6-1, 7-6 (3). Sundays match will be the first all-Swiss final since Marc Rosset beat Federer in Marseille in 2000, and the first time that Federer and Wawrinka meet in a championship decider. "I think its incredible that we are in the finals together, the same week weve been playing so well," Federer said. "I know Spaniards have it, French guys have it, Americans might have it. But for us its so rare. Last time was 14 years ago. I played so many matches in the meantime ... You think its never going to happen again." The odds appear stacked against Australian Open champion Wawrinka, who trails 13-1 overall against 17-time Grand Slam winner Federer. Wawrinka has lost his previous two Masters finals -- at Madrid last year and Rome six years ago. But he will take heart from the fact his only win against Federer was here, in the third round, back in 2009 -- although Federer had other things on his mind back then. "I was basically on my honeymoon. I married on Saturday and I came over here and played him like on Thursday," Federer said. "I know I have a good head-to-head (record) against him. I dont read that much into it. Hes a different calibre player now." Federer looked in good touch against Djokovic but conceded that the Serb -- who had a right-wrist injury -- was not at his best. "I feel like I have put in the performance to be there, gave myself the opportunity this week. So Im very happy with my play. Of course, I did see that Novak was struggling," Federer said. "Now I set up the dream final for Stan and myself annd Swiss tennis and the Swiss fans.ddddddddddddIts very exciting times right now." Djokovic complained of soreness in his right wrist at the start of the week and took to the court with it heavily strapped. It seemed to affect him more toward the end of the first set, and he was serving way below his best throughout the second. "Its unfortunate that when youre playing at this level against Roger, big tournament, that you are not able to play your game because something else is taking away all your energy and effort," Djokovic said. "I did everything I could really, I was on the medications every day, I was doing different therapies, injections." The fourth-seeded Federer entered the tournament only after accepting a wild card invitation, having missed the two previous editions. He lost three consecutive finals to eight-time champion Rafael Nadal from 2006-08. Djokovic missed two break-point chances when he had Federer 15-40 down in the 10th game, but Federers backhand got him out of trouble and he saved the next one with a smash at the net. Federer was inconsistent in his quarterfinal win against Jo-Wilfried Tsonga, but looked sharp against Djokovic, teasing him with one casual drop shot that surprised the Serb and drew loud cheers from the centre-court crowd soaking up the Mediterranean sunshine. Federer broke for 6-5 when Djokovic netted a weak forehand. At the changeover, Djokovic nursed his right wrist as he sat in his chair, looking stern-faced and pensive. "From the end of the first and the whole second, every shot was pain, especially with the serve," he said. Djokovics first-serve speed dropped to 160 kph (100 mph) in the second set and he was unable to properly flex his arm as he tried to return one shot from Federer in the third game. But it was becoming too easy for Federer, who improved to 18-16 overall against Djokovic. 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