Alastair Cook has scored an unbeaten 150 in his first innings in England since retiring from Test cricket, playing for Essex in a pre-season game against Cambridge University.

It was 34-year-old former England captain Cook's first outing at home since he received a knighthood in the Queen's New Year Honours list and his 64th first-class ton.

Cook retired last September with a knock of 147 against India at The Oval, after 161 Test appearances and 12,472 runs, both England records.

He took to the Cambridge attack with authority, bringing up his fifty before lunch on the opening day of the three-day game with the ninth boundary of his innings, having faced 106 balls. He reached his hundred before tea off 200 deliveries and finished with 150 off 248 balls, including 21 fours.

Cook shared a fourth-wicket partnership of 217 with Adam Wheater before Wheater was dismissed for 130. Cook gave Luke Chapman a tough caught-and-bowled chance en route to his century, but otherwise played flawlessly, and both batsmen reached their tons in the same Josh Cantrell over which yielded 19 runs.

Essex declared on 387 for 5. They open their 2019 County Championship season at Hampshire on 5 April.