CenturionCricket South Africa (CSA), had called in Highveld Lions opening batsman Stephen Cook for the final Sunfoil Test match of the Castle Lager series in South African 17-member squad against England, starting on Friday at Centurion, SuperSport Park.
The bizhub batsman Cook, who is the son of former Somerset batsman and Hampshire coach Jimmy Cook, has been rewarded to feature for national team after the impressive run in the first-class matches.
Cook in his last three matches had scored 415 runs at the staggering average of 83 which includes two centuries.
Stephen Cook has been in excellent form this season, and gives us another option at the top of the order, said CSA Selection Convener Linda Zondi.
Earlier, in the first innings of the match for South Africa A, Cook scored an unbeaten 53 against the touring England, before the start of Sunfoil four-match Test series
I got a call from Linda Zondi and he said, ‘Make sure you’ve got a full tank of petrol because you’re going to be driving to Centurion. And then I just thought to myself, dreams really do come true. ESPNcricinfo quoted Cook.
Being a part of 17-member team, if the 33-year-old Cook will feature in the final XI against England in the fourth test, father and son will be part of the first ever combination to represent the national side in a test match.
Between 1992 and 1993, His [Cooks] father Jimmy Cook, played three test matches against India and Sri Lanka
If people had the mindset that scoring Test hundreds is the dream, it would be different. So yes, my bigger dream is scoring Test hundreds, and winning series for South Africa. My age is the one argument that I could never understand, Cook told Espncricinfo.
Meanwhile, the selectors have left out Dane Vilas, who was added as a replacement for the injured wicketkeeper batsman Quinton de Kock in the third Test in Johannesburg.
Dale Steyn, who is unlikely to be part of playing XI to avoid the risk of injuring himself again keeping in view the limited overs series against England and major ICC T20 event.
CSA although, had retained Stiaan van Zyl, Faf du Plessis as both havent clicked so far against the visitors as Dane Piedt is likely to feature in playing XI.
After the five-wicket haul in the third Test, 20-year-old Kagiso Rabada has been the reason to smile for Proteas alongside promising prospect Temba Bavuma. South Africa would like to bounce back in the fourth Test after the poor-run and batting woes continues.
South Africa 17-member for fourth Test against England: AB de Villiers (Captain), Kyle Abbott, Hashim Amla, Temba Bavuma, Stephen Cook, Quinton de Kock, JP Duminy, Faf du Plessis, Dean Elgar, Morne Morkel, Chris Morris, Dane Piedt, Kagiso Rabada, Rilee Rossouw, Dale Steyn, Hardus Viljoen and Stiaan van Zyl.
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