Cook and Amla star for Proteas

In fact, since his father, Jimmy Cook made his debut in 1992-93 when he was 39 years and 105 days old, he is the oldest opener and the second oldest player to make his debut for South Africa.

The tourists already have an unassailable 2-0 lead in the series, but with home series against Sri Lanka and Pakistan and trips to Bangladesh and India still to come this year, there are positions to be firmed up, especially at the top of the order.

Elgar insisted that although his side had tried hard to end the series well, he said that things didn’t work out in their favour.

Cape Town – England took four wickets in the last session of day one to claw their way back into the fourth and final Test at Centurion on Friday, but it is still South Africa who have the advantage. They have won 15 out of 20 matches at the venue, with just two defeats, most recently against a Mitchell Johnson-inspired Australia in 2014.

Cook was surprisingly un-emotional when he eventually reached his landmark, having spent an agitated time in the nineties and watching two wickets fall at the other end, first his long-time partner Hashim Amla, with whom he shared a second-wicket partnership of 202, and then AB de Villiers.

Speaking after his stunning six for 17 sealed the Test series for England at the Wanderers, Broad said: “I’m desperate to play white-ball cricket again for England”.

But it might have been even worse for England after they went in for tea at 224 for one, and with most of their bowling attack struggling for rhythm. We can find cracks.

Alastair Cook and Alex Hales took England to within touching distance of the victory before Root and James Taylor completed the chase and helped the visitors to a seven-wicket win.

“We have a lot to play for, just as much personally for players who haven’t scored the amount of runs or taking the amounts of wickets they’d like there is a lot to play for”.

At 237 for one, it looked as if South Africa might only be batting once in this Test but a collapse of four for 37 soon put some spring in England’s step. “The other guys haven’t quite contributed, myself included, so we have the opportunity in this game”.

The South Africa captain added: “The batting is not 100 per cent best-in-the-world material – there are areas we can expose if we start well with the ball, build up dots”.

Opening batsman Stephen Cook could make his South Africa debut, while wicketkeeper-batsman Quinton de Kock is set to return and spinner Dane Piedt will also be hoping to get the nod.

Cook also said Chris Woakes, Chris Jordan and uncapped Mark Footitt were all in contention to replace injured pacer Steven Finn.

“I’ve seen a lot of talent come through”.

“We need to get a bit of experience, a few smart heads involved and I truly believe we will move forward as a cricket team”.