When Sam Cook arrived in Canterbury in August 2019, he was a young seam bowler on the up. Having made his Essex debut in the title-winning 2017 season, he demonstrated enough promise to be trusted in sharing the new ball with Jamie Porter the following year.
Despite this, the 22-year-old wasn’t the main topic of Kent’s team meetings in the run-up to their County Championship fixture tie. Mohammad Amir, having just announced his retirement from Test cricket, agreed to play a one-off fixture for Essex which was due to be the last red-ball appearance of his career.
Three days later, Cook had claimed match figures of 12/65 and picked up 7/23 as Kent were bowled out for 40 in their second innings. The limelight was his.
The Archnemesis of Canterbury, @samcook09 ⛪️ pic.twitter.com/Q0kmkjhu1B
— Essex Cricket (@EssexCricket) September 8, 2022
As the pandemic intervened, it was three years before Cook returned to Canterbury to play County Championship cricket, but his memories of the ground remained strong.
“It’s a ground I enjoy bowling at. It’s similar to Lord’s in that there’s obviously a big slope and I’ve enjoyed bowling and trying to use that slope, particularly when it’s not swinging or not doing much in the air. It gives you something to work with.
“2019 was a special win that set us on the way to winning the title, so it’s becoming a nice ground that I enjoy bowling at.”
What followed was another incredible spell of seam bowling, he followed 3/27 in the first innings with a devastating spell of 7/33 in the second as Essex wrapped up their largest ever victory over their rivals.
It was a performance that prompted talk of him being a potential heir to James Anderson, a claim which Essex skipper Tom Westley agreed with: “I’d echo that. I haven’t seen a seamer bowl better than him whenever we’ve played against any team. He’s improving year on year.
“When he started he probably was mid to late seventies, but the work he puts in in the winter, in the gym, he’s obviously maturing, he’s getting faster as well, so for me he ticks all the boxes and he can bat a bit as well.
“We could keep talking about Sammy Cook and I have done relentlessly, but he’s absolutely world-class, I don’t think there’s a better seamer.
“The stats will back it up, he gets wickets in the first innings, the second innings, at Chelmsford and away from Chelmsford and he’s phenomenal. We’re very lucky to have him at Essex.”
And the stats are good. They are very good. Cook now has 198 first-class wickets at an average of 19.70 and his performances have been recognised by England Lions call-ups.
At the age of 25, he appears to be entering his prime and as he routs opposition batting units up and down the country, his name is top of the agenda during pre-match briefings.
