Alastair Cook scores a hundred against India in his farewell Test match at The Oval

Not all love stories have a happy ending but Alastair Cook has made a habit of writing his own scripts and today, in front of a packed, adoring crowd, the Essex left-hander produced the perfect final act to a most distinguished career.

Having announced his retirement from international cricket on Monday, the build up to the fifth and final Test of the series has been exclusively about Cook and whether he could finish on a high following a challenging summer that ultimately persuaded the former captain that the time was right to hang up his batting gloves.

A farewell century looked to be on the cards in the first innings when, having been sent into bat by Joe Root on a beautiful day-one Oval pitch, Cook had moved comfortably to 71 before chopping onto his stumps off the bowling off Jasprit Bumrah.

A collective groan rang out around The Oval, maybe even the whole of London, as Cook kicked the turf in frustration before trudging off to a standing ovation. A modest raise of the bat, a wry smile, a chance gone.

He left the field not knowing whether he would get another chance but sure enough, that chance came one final time and just like so many times before, Cook delivered when it mattered most.

In the summer of 2010, Cook's England career was on the line following a wretched run of form that saw him walk out to bat in the penultimate Test of the summer at The Oval desperately needing to find a big score from somewhere.

Cook, as ever, delivered with a nerveless, stubborn hundred against Pakistan that booked his plane ticket to Australia for the forthcoming Ashes, a series he would dominate with 766 runs to drive England to a memorable 2-1 away victory.

In 2014, this time following a 5-0 drubbing in Australia the previous winter, Cook's captaincy and career were again on the line as England suffered a humiliating home series defeat to Sri Lanka.

With Kevin Pietersen now exiled from the side at the wish of the England management, Cook bore the brunt of fierce media and public backlash and when his side where hammered at Lord's in the second Test of the following series against India, he appeared at breaking point.

The wolves were circling and despite his defiance, Cook's day were seemingly numbered.

But this is Alastair Cook.

He writes his own scripts and he duly roared back with a crucial first-innings 95 in the next Test at Southampton, setting up a huge England total that allowed them to dominate the game and level the series.

Cook and his team, who were all clearly behind their leader, won the final two Tests of the summer at a canter, winning the series 3-1 and ensuring Cook would remain as captain, not only with the full support of the players but also of the nation.

If, in his darkest hours, Cook had ever doubted whether he had the backing of the public, he had his answer emphatically delivered when walking off the field at Lunch in Southampton.

Having negotiated the opening session with 48 to his name, Cook was given a stirring reception as he made his way back to the pavilion, many fans standing to applaud their captain and warmly appreciating his efforts in the most testing of times - a ringing endorsement if ever he needed it.

And as that summer finished with a happy ending, so did the following one as Cook and his side enjoyed their sweetest revenge of all when taming Mitchell Johnson and Michael Clarke to regain the Ashes.

And so he stood to receive the precious urn at The Oval, his happy place, tears in his eyes and a lump in his throat to the backdrop of applauding England fans who could be proud of Cook and his cricket but also the way in which he had carried himself through those dark times and come through the other side. It was a lesson to us all.

And even when Cook lost the One-Day captaincy and his place in that side, or when England were routed in India in the 2016 - a defeat that would lead to him stepping down as Test captain - Cook behaved with class, dignity and humility.

He continued to give to England's cause, a lieutenant for new captain Joe Root, a rock of an opening batsman and a shining example for a new generation of England cricketers.

All the while, English cricket fans grew to love him even more, finally understanding his worth at the top of the order following an endless stream of opening partners not able to make the grade against the new Dukes ball.

Even as Cook's light shone a little less bright in more recent years, we clung on because we didn't want him to go and when he announced that The Oval Test match would be his last, we mourned - in a cricketing sense - for the loss of a great player and of a great person.

Us English have a funny relationship with our sporting heroes and in cricket, we have always fallen for the Ian Botham's, the Andrew Flintoff's, the Darren Gough's. Mavericks. Players who put bums on seats.

With the best will in the world, Cook couldn't argue to be any of the above but when the Essex opener reached three figures just before Lunch on the fourth day at The Oval, there could be little doubting the esteem in which he is held by the English public.

It was a moment that will live long in the memory and Cook was visibly moved as he the crowd roared in appreciation and refused to quieten even after a full two minutes of applause.

It was stirring stuff and the clapping and cheering just kept coming, forcing Cook to make his way back to the centre of the wicket to raise his bat to his adoring fans once more. They stood for their King and he revelled in the moment, if only for a short while.

Like a great book or a thrilling play, we demanded more.

And we got more, another 47 runs until he finally perished, ending a magnificent century - his 33rd in Test cricket - and bringing the curtain down on a remarkable international career.

Cook returned to the field soon after as England set about bowling India out but we will never see him bat for his country again.

Like all great storytellers, Cook has left us wanting more.

But Alastair Cook writes the scripts and you won't get a better ending than that one.

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