Sixteen years ago, a fresh faced South African teenager, on his school holidays from his native Johannesburg, darted in from the long-on boundary at Sparsholt’s Locks Lane and flung himself full length to pull off a breath-taking one-handed catch just inches off the outfield.
The occasion was the 2000 summer Winchester & District CA Tichborne Trophy final.
The catch (which dismissed Dave Birch) helped Flamingo’s, the rank outsiders, defeat Steve Green’s mighty Easton & Martyr Worthy by 11 runs to lift the WDCCA twenty20 cup for the only time in their history. * see below.
Yesterday, that same South African, Stephen Cook, now 33 years of age, celebrated his Test debut in the most magnificent manner – by scoring a maiden century against England in the fourth and final Sunfoil Test.
He made 115 (14 fours) and shared a double-century second wicket partnership with Hashim Amla (109) as South Africa eased to 237-1 before finishing the day 329-5.
Watching with considerable and undeniable pride in the Centurion Park grandstand (although television footage didn’t necessarily reflect it at the time) was his father and mentor, Jimmy Cook, the former Hampshire coach, who had cancelled an overseas trip to be at the game..
Cook spent three summers at Hampshire around that time – initially at Northlands Road, then the Ageas Bowl – and it was during that first summer his eldest son, 16-year old Stephen came across on a few weeks holiday from the prestigious King Edward VII School.
“I just wanted to play a few games of cricket while I was in England and Flamingo were good enough to give me some,” he recalled.
“They played on a lovely little ground in the countryside – typically English – and were a smashing, very friendly crowd of lads.
“I think they went on and won their (Hampshire) League that summer and I well recall that cup final, which I don’t think we were expected to win.
“I don’t think I got any runs (three to be precise), but it was good to help them win the cup.
“It was a long time ago now – I wasn’t even in my final Matric year at school - but I’ve still got the little wooden plaque in my trophy cabinet at home. A nice little memento !”
Exams done and dusted, Cook came across to Hampshire for the 2001 season, scoring almost 750 runs for Portsmouth in the second tier of Southern Premier League cricket.
He hit a best 163 v Old Basing and 117 against Sparsholt, just missing out a third ton when Hambledon came to St Helen’s.
Almost two decades on, Cook has become one of leading run scorers in South African cricket – and in the minds of many followers of the game his inclusion in the Proteas line-up was long overdue.
He had, after all, scored a welter of over 17,000 runs in provincial cricket since his first class debut in 2000/1 (not too long after that Tichborne Trophy appearance) and was in good form.
Cook says he has taken a lot inspiration from other international cricketers like Chris Rogers and Adam Voges – ironically, both former Premier League cricketers at South Wilts and Bournemouth - who made late starts to their international careers.
“As time wore on I knew it was getting more difficult and less likely that I would make my debut, I never gave up, I always carried on,” he said at stumps of day one on Friday. “If I had given up on that hope it would have been difficult to carry on, it would have meant retirement. I never felt that, I always felt the day would come if I remained consistent and put in enough performances they would bare the fruit.
“It’s obviously a life-long dream come true,” he explained. “I had always thought that even from a young age that yes it’s about making your debut and playing for South Africa but it’s also about performing and scoring hundreds. For so many guys it’s just a goal to make the team but for me it’s so much greater, I want to contribute to Proteas victories and Proteas successes with my individual performances.”
Cook gave credit to the calming influence Hashim Amla brought to the 202-run second wicket partnership, which interestingly is the first time since the age of 19 that the two have batted together.
“There was pressure throughout the day, so you are always aware of that,” he said. “I tried to stay within myself, I’m generally not an overly emotional character. It was fantastic to have a guy like Hashim alongside me for most of my innings. He did a good job at just keeping me in the moment, worrying about the next ball and not looking too far ahead. I spent a bit of time in the nineties, I was only getting ones,” he continued. “I did think to myself that I’ve waited so long so even if I spent another hour there it would all be worth it.”
Cook felt he had “achieved a lifelong ambition” in making a century on Test debut.
“Getting a nice half-volley on my legs from Jimmy Anderson first ball was near perfect and culminated in a very special day in my life,” he said.
If he didn’t show it at the time, his father Jimmy was clearly overjoyed at close of play.
“We both did television interviews and when we’d finished he came across and gave me an enormous hug,” Stephen smiled.
“Last night before I went to bed he gave me a call and he said, “my boy, if you just don’t get out to the first one you will have done better than me.
“He just said he was really proud. I owe a lot to him. He threw me balls and fed me bowling machines for many years growing up. It’s probably one for him as well that he never got.”
The Cook’s have become the second father-and-son combination to play for South Africa since re-admisssion in 1992 – Peter and Sean Pollock being the others.
Jimmy Cook’s Test career had been cut short by isolation from the international arena. He played only three Tests against India and Sri Lanka, having to content himself with scoring bags of runs for Transvaal and Somerset.
On the evidence of yesterday’s century, Stephen Cook may play many more ...
• Tichborne Trophy Final 17 July 2000 Flamingo 117-6 beat Easton & Martyr Worthy by 11 runs. Man of the match was Dave Wright (5-0-23-6).
The occasion was the 2000 summer Winchester & District CA Tichborne Trophy final.
The catch (which dismissed Dave Birch) helped Flamingo’s, the rank outsiders, defeat Steve Green’s mighty Easton & Martyr Worthy by 11 runs to lift the WDCCA twenty20 cup for the only time in their history. * see below.
Yesterday, that same South African, Stephen Cook, now 33 years of age, celebrated his Test debut in the most magnificent manner – by scoring a maiden century against England in the fourth and final Sunfoil Test.
He made 115 (14 fours) and shared a double-century second wicket partnership with Hashim Amla (109) as South Africa eased to 237-1 before finishing the day 329-5.
Watching with considerable and undeniable pride in the Centurion Park grandstand (although television footage didn’t necessarily reflect it at the time) was his father and mentor, Jimmy Cook, the former Hampshire coach, who had cancelled an overseas trip to be at the game..
Cook spent three summers at Hampshire around that time – initially at Northlands Road, then the Ageas Bowl – and it was during that first summer his eldest son, 16-year old Stephen came across on a few weeks holiday from the prestigious King Edward VII School.
“I just wanted to play a few games of cricket while I was in England and Flamingo were good enough to give me some,” he recalled.
“They played on a lovely little ground in the countryside – typically English – and were a smashing, very friendly crowd of lads.
“I think they went on and won their (Hampshire) League that summer and I well recall that cup final, which I don’t think we were expected to win.
“I don’t think I got any runs (three to be precise), but it was good to help them win the cup.
“It was a long time ago now – I wasn’t even in my final Matric year at school - but I’ve still got the little wooden plaque in my trophy cabinet at home. A nice little memento !”
Exams done and dusted, Cook came across to Hampshire for the 2001 season, scoring almost 750 runs for Portsmouth in the second tier of Southern Premier League cricket.
He hit a best 163 v Old Basing and 117 against Sparsholt, just missing out a third ton when Hambledon came to St Helen’s.
Almost two decades on, Cook has become one of leading run scorers in South African cricket – and in the minds of many followers of the game his inclusion in the Proteas line-up was long overdue.
He had, after all, scored a welter of over 17,000 runs in provincial cricket since his first class debut in 2000/1 (not too long after that Tichborne Trophy appearance) and was in good form.
Cook says he has taken a lot inspiration from other international cricketers like Chris Rogers and Adam Voges – ironically, both former Premier League cricketers at South Wilts and Bournemouth - who made late starts to their international careers.
“As time wore on I knew it was getting more difficult and less likely that I would make my debut, I never gave up, I always carried on,” he said at stumps of day one on Friday. “If I had given up on that hope it would have been difficult to carry on, it would have meant retirement. I never felt that, I always felt the day would come if I remained consistent and put in enough performances they would bare the fruit.
“It’s obviously a life-long dream come true,” he explained. “I had always thought that even from a young age that yes it’s about making your debut and playing for South Africa but it’s also about performing and scoring hundreds. For so many guys it’s just a goal to make the team but for me it’s so much greater, I want to contribute to Proteas victories and Proteas successes with my individual performances.”
Cook gave credit to the calming influence Hashim Amla brought to the 202-run second wicket partnership, which interestingly is the first time since the age of 19 that the two have batted together.
“There was pressure throughout the day, so you are always aware of that,” he said. “I tried to stay within myself, I’m generally not an overly emotional character. It was fantastic to have a guy like Hashim alongside me for most of my innings. He did a good job at just keeping me in the moment, worrying about the next ball and not looking too far ahead. I spent a bit of time in the nineties, I was only getting ones,” he continued. “I did think to myself that I’ve waited so long so even if I spent another hour there it would all be worth it.”
Cook felt he had “achieved a lifelong ambition” in making a century on Test debut.
“Getting a nice half-volley on my legs from Jimmy Anderson first ball was near perfect and culminated in a very special day in my life,” he said.
If he didn’t show it at the time, his father Jimmy was clearly overjoyed at close of play.
“We both did television interviews and when we’d finished he came across and gave me an enormous hug,” Stephen smiled.
“Last night before I went to bed he gave me a call and he said, “my boy, if you just don’t get out to the first one you will have done better than me.
“He just said he was really proud. I owe a lot to him. He threw me balls and fed me bowling machines for many years growing up. It’s probably one for him as well that he never got.”
The Cook’s have become the second father-and-son combination to play for South Africa since re-admisssion in 1992 – Peter and Sean Pollock being the others.
Jimmy Cook’s Test career had been cut short by isolation from the international arena. He played only three Tests against India and Sri Lanka, having to content himself with scoring bags of runs for Transvaal and Somerset.
On the evidence of yesterday’s century, Stephen Cook may play many more ...
• Tichborne Trophy Final 17 July 2000 Flamingo 117-6 beat Easton & Martyr Worthy by 11 runs. Man of the match was Dave Wright (5-0-23-6).
