England's Alastair Cook walks off after the third day’s play during the fourth Ashes Test against Australia at Melbourne Cricket Ground yesterday. Pic/Getty Images

Alastair Cook said selectors would have been entitled to drop him over his poor form before his masterful double-century put England in a winning position in the fourth Ashes Test. The unflappable opening batsman crushed Australia's hopes of sweeping the five-Test series with an unbeaten 244 yesterday to put the tourists 164 runs ahead of Australia with two days left.