England captain Alastair Cook: 'Reaching 10,000 Test runs is very special'

Alastair Cook walks off after being dismissed early during the second innings on day three of the first Test between South Africa and England on December 28, 2015
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England captain Alastair Cook says that it was a "very special moment" to pull up 10,000 Test runs, making him the first Englishman to do so.

England captain Alastair Cook has described reaching 10,000 Test runs as a "very special moment".

The 31-year-old became the first England player and youngest ever in the game to reach the figure this afternoon.

The batsman, who celebrated making the target during today's second-Test win over Sri Lanka in Durham, is now just the 12th cricketer to achieve the feat.

"It was a very special moment for me but the game is not about personal milestones," Sky Sports News quotes Cook as saying. "If you're honest, it's about winning games of cricket for England and scoring the runs that do that.

"Second to that, there are little milestones along the way and certainly it's been a little bit on my shoulders, I'm not going to lie about it, with people telling me how many I need.

"Unfortunately, there are always questions to be asked - that's Test cricket. It doesn't matter how many runs you have behind you, the next innings is the most important one and you're always going to be tested against the best bowlers. I am proud of that, to be at the top of the order and doing it against the new ball, it does mean a lot."

England's victory has given them a unassailable 2-0 lead in the three-Test series.

England batsman Alastair Cook raises his bat after reaching 10,000 Test runs against Sri Lanka on May 30, 2016
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