I agree, Cook has never spent a whole day of a County Championship match to have some batting practise rather than declaring to try and set up a win.
no he hasn't, considering the stte of the game cook was batting to save it. It was a very good innings but consider how many wickets fell after australia were 143-5, 7 - of which 4 were tailenders - for 950 or so runs, which gives a good idea of how flat the pitch ended up being.
Trescothic not still playing international cricket is nothing to do with his talent, he has a stress-mental disorder of some kind. Cook has always done just enough throughout his career, long periods of which he has been circling the plughole and saving his skin at the last chance.