Even in the middle of a landmark personal success in the United Arab Emirates, Alastair Cook has been touched by the rather more domestic strife enveloping English cricket, and specifically his county Essex.
After Saturday's victory in the third one day international against Pakistan in Dubai, England's 50-over captain reflected on his personal sadness at the corruption case that has ended with Mervyn Westfield, a former team-mate, being jailed for four months at the Old Bailey after admitting receiving £6,000 to deliberately bowl poorly in a match against Durham in September 2009.
The case is uncomfortably close to Cook. He made a hundred in the match in question, part of the two-year process of reinvention in one-day cricket with Essex that has led directly to his current international success. He also shared a flat for some time with the then Essex captain Mark Pettini, who was named during proceedings as having heard Danish Kaneria – named in court as Westfield's alleged corrupter, something he denies – talking openly about fixing aspects of matches. Pettini said when he had confronted Kaneria on the issue, Kaneria had claimed he was joking.
"It's an incredibly sad day for Essex county cricket club," said Cook. "Obviously personally knowing the guys involved makes it tough, but as a sportsman and a player I have a duty to play in the right spirit and the public want to make sure games are being played in the right way and both teams are trying to win.
"It is an incredibly sad day for cricket, especially Essex. I don't know all the ins and out; when you've got a one day international the next day you're focused on that. It's a really, really sad day."
It is a scandal that will be felt deeply within the England camp, where there are plenty of historic and extant connections with Essex. Andy Flower played with Kaneria at Essex, while the new full-time batting coach Graham Gooch has been a coach at Essex for more than a decade. As Cook said: "I'm an Essex boy through and through so to hear what's gone on is very sad."