Cook ton puts SA in control against Sri Lanka in PE

Stephen Cook scored his second century in three innings to help South Africa seize control of the first test against Sri Lanka at St George’s Park on Wednesday.

Cook‚ who made 104 against Australia in Adelaide last month‚ was 108 not out at tea‚ which South Africa reached on 221/2 in their second innings to take a lead of 302.

Cook and Dean Elgar shared 116 for the first wicket‚ which followed the 104 they added in the first innings.

That made them only the second pair of South Africa’s openers to mount century stands in both innings of the same match in 87 years.

• Cook‚ Elgar make history at St George's ParkStephen Cook and Dean Elgar went where Barry Richards and Eddie Barlow have gone before at St George’s Park on Monday. 

The first were Bruce Mitchell and Bob Catterall‚ who shared centuries of 119 and 171 against England in Birmingham in 1929.

Sri Lanka resumed on 181/7 and were dismissed in the eighth over of the day for 205 with Vernon Philander completing his 11th five-wicket haul in tests.

Philander had Dhananjaya de Silva caught behind with the first ball of the day‚ a sniping away-swinger‚ and claimed the wicket of Suranga Lakmal‚ who was caught at mid-on‚ to finish with 5/45.

Kyle Abbott‚ who took 3/63‚ ended the innings when Dushmantha Chameera edged him to first slip.

• Mostly good in SA cricket’s hood in 2016If South Africa had known‚ at the end of 2015‚ that 2016 would pan out like it did they would have been hopeful that the light at the end of the tunnel was not an oncoming train. 

Cook and Elgar took South Africa’s lead to 197 before Elgar went for 52 when he top-edged Lakmal and was caught at mid-on.

The Lankans should have dismissed Cook for 62 but De Silva in the gully failed to hold a chance earned by Lakmal.

Rangana Herath would have removed Hashim Amla for 14 had Kusal Mendis at short leg clung to what would have been a fine catch.

• SA bowlers pick up slack left by batsmenSouth Africa seized the advantage with the ball after letting it slip with the bat in the first test against Sri Lanka at St George’s Park on Tuesday. 

Amla was dismissed with what became the last ball before tea‚ trapped in front by Pradeep for 48.

That made Amla the 10 000th player in test history to be out lbw.

It also meant he has gone 11 test innings without scoring a century and eight without reaching 50.

- TMG Sport