South Africa vs Sri Lanka 2016, 1st Test - 5 Talking Points

#2 Cook-Elgar getting into the groove

Cook and Elgar are fast becoming a force to be reckoned with

Opening has been a huge headache for South Africa in Tests ever since the retirement of Graeme Smith. After several failed tries with Stiaan van Zyl, a domestic veteran, Stephen Cook, was called up. The veteran showed his class with a century but his technique came in for some heavy criticism.

Cook silenced his critics with a patient, determined hundred in the day-night Test against Australia. However, despite Cook and Elgar both scoring hundreds in Australia, the pair did not even have a half-century partnership to show for their efforts.

They corrected that as soon as Lanka visited with a century partnership in the first innings. As if that were not enough, the duo compiled one more in the second becoming just the eighth opening pair in Test history to post two-century stands in the same Test.