Cook tells Proteas batters that the Duke doesn't always swing around corners

Stephen Cook played only 11 Tests. 

That had more to do though with the fact that he was belatedly selected at 33 years old – although still a rookie in comparison to his father, Jimmy, who Test debuted at 39 – than his ability forged over 229 first-class matches. 

Cook certainly made the most of his limited opportunity. He memorably scored a century on debut against England and added back-to-back tons against Australia and Sri Lanka.

The 104 against the Aussies in Adelaide was a particularly gusty innings for Cook had struggled initially on the tour Down Under before finding a way to succeed against high-quality new-ball bowlers Mitchell Starc and Josh Hazlewood, who the Proteas will be encountering again in next month’s World Test Championship final at Lord’s. 

They will be joined by their irrepressible skipper Pat Cummins to form a lethal three-pronged pace arsenal, but Cook feels it's the safety net of having off-spinner Nathan Lyon within their ranks that allows the Aussies bowling unit to attack relentlessly. 

“The Aussie new ball attack has, and has been for a long time, a really formidable outfit,” Cook exclusively told Independent Media. 

“However, I think what ultimately gives them extra potency is Nathan Lyon. I think that ability to know that you've got a banker spinner, who's taken gazillions of wickets and can hold up an end,  and allow you to rotate those seamers out of the end, through the middle part of the innings of the day, that's been their secret sauce.

“Had they not had that, I think it would have been a lot more difficult to have played the strategy. Much the same way as (Shane) Warne did in the (Glenn) McGrath era. Take nothing away from those guys, but I mean, Warne was the glue that held that together.”

Proteas coach Shukri Conrad has confirmed that Aiden Markram and Ryan Rickelton will front up to the challenge of facing the new ball at Lord’s. Cook, who played English County Cricket for Durham, believes the actual ball, which will be the Duke instead of the regular Kookaburra, could be a challenge on its own.

“Obviously Starc being left arm, the angle … if he does get that Duke ball to swing, then that's a huge weapon. He hasn't really been able to get that to happen consistently. Some tours he gets it to swing, others not. Sometimes it depends on the addition of that ball," Cook said.

“So, if you're sitting in the Proteas batting camp, you've prepared to face a Duke ball, but that’s been preparing to face (England’s James) Anderson, (Stuart) Broad, Mark Wood, etc., etc. 

“You know, not necessarily these same bowlers. And I think they are different. The Duke ball can go both ways, because it stays relatively hard.

“If you get on top as a batter, you can really dominate. But these Duke balls, because they're obviously more hand-crafted, there's a bit more variation between year on year.

“So, you get years where it really swings around corners and years where it doesn't.”

In his current role as Head of Operations at Betway SA20, Cook has also seen the rise of Rickelton, who is the leading run-scorer in the history of the T20 competition after three seasons, up close and is backing the attacking left-hander to succeed in the Lord’s cauldron.

“I think in Ryan, we've seen an individual who's really blossomed and come into his own over the last 18 months, two years,” Cook said.

“I think more for him, more than anything else, it's been a technical thing. It's been a belief thing. 

“And he's now got these reference points where he's been able to take on difficult challenges, overcome them and come out the other end.

“I think that holds him in good stead. I think IPL, Test double hundreds, SA20, things like that, helps you to not feel overawed.

“Although, I mean, Lords, World Test Championship, I mean, if you're not feeling it, you're probably not human. But I think he can overcome it. So, yeah, really excited to see what he can do.”