Alastair Cook achieves rare feat during 4th Ashes Test vs Australia in Melbourne

Alastair Cook became the first England cricketer since Mike Atherton to carry his bat when he achieved the feat during the fourth Ashes Test match between England and Australia in Melbourne.

Alastair Cook carried his bat through the entire England innings and remained unbeaten on 244 on Day 4 of the fourth Ashes Test match between Australia and England in Melbourne on Friday. (SCORECARD)

Alastair Cook achieved a rare feat during the fourth Ashes Test match between England and Australia in Melbourne. (REUTERS)

It was the highest score ever by a batsman carrying his bat in Test history, bettering New Zealand’s Glenn Turner’s 223 not out against the West Indies in Kingston in 1972.

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The last Englishman to carry his bat through a Test innings was Mike Atherton’s 94 in New Zealand in 1997 while Geoff Boycott last carried his bat through an Ashes innings with an unbeaten 99 in Perth in 1979.

England were all out on their overnight total of 491 on the first ball of the fourth day in the fourth Ashes Test in Melbourne on Friday. James Anderson was caught by Cameron Bancroft at bat-pad off Pat Cummins for a duck to end the innings. Cummins finished with four for 117.

England have the two remaining days of the Melbourne Test to get a result and win their first Test of the series after relinquishing the Ashes in the first three Test defeats.