Proteas opener Stephen Cook is awarded our Play of the Day for his century on day three of the first Test at St George’s Park.

Cook’s knock of 117 was beautifully paced. He reached 100 in 152 balls, and scored 11 boundaries over the course of his innings.

Cook offered up a chance at gully when he was on 62. The South African flashed at a wide delivery by Suranga Lakmal, and the ball flew to Dhananjaya de Silva. De Silva grassed the chance, and Cook proceeded to make the Sri Lankans pay for the mistake.

Cook has now scored three centuries in seven Tests. He went past his previous best Test score (115) at St George’s Park.

There’s been plenty of debate around South Africa’s opening combination in recent months. The pair certainly quietened the talk when it amassed 104 for the first wicket on day one at St George’s Park. In the first innings, Cook scored 59 and Dean Elgar 45.

Clearly that was no fluke. In the second innings, Cook and Elgar clubbed together for a 116-run partnership. Both men grafted hard for their respective fifties before Elgar perished for 52.

Cook and Elgar have joined an elite club. Before their stand against Sri Lanka on day three of the first Test at St George’s Park, only one set of South African openers had recorded partnerships in excess of 100 runs in both innings of a Test (Bob Catteral and Bruce Mitchell n 1929).