SA triumph second only to Ashes win: Cook

Skipper Alistair Cook has heaped praise on England's Australian coach Trevor Bayliss for the rise of all-rounder Ben Stokes.

Knocking South Africa off the top of the Test rankings following the 2-1 series triumph comes close to the drama of last year's Ashes success over Australia, according to England captain Alastair Cook.

The victories achieved in the first and third Tests "ticked a box" for a relatively new generation of English stars.

The tour produced a trio of match winners in Stuart Broad, Joe Root and Ben Stokes that ensures a bright Test cricket future for England.

Cook was quick to point out the role played by England's Australian coach Trevor Bayliss in his mentoring of man-of-the-series Stokes.

Stokes, 24, was an unstoppable force with the bat in the second Test in Cape Town, where he raced to the quickest 250 runs in Test history.

"I think he (Stokes) has thrived under pressure and thrived working under Trevor Bayliss," said Cook. "They get on really well and have this strange relationship where they swear at each other."

There are plenty of things that are working in perfect harmony in the England set-up.

Broad's bowling decimated South Africa in the third Test in Johannesburg to secure the series triumph.

Root, 25, turned into Mr Dependable during the series, scoring at least a 50 if not better in each of the four Tests.

However, Cook insisted England were "nowhere near the finished article" after they ended the series on the receiving end of a 280-run defeat by South Africa, which ended a year-long wait for a Test victory for the hosts.

Looking ahead to home series against Sri Lanka and Pakistan, Cook added: "We still have a lot of work to do with our batting and catching."

England suffered plenty of woes in the field throughout the tour and Jonny Bairstow's wicket keeping skills were also not up to the mark.

There also seems to be no end in sight in the long search for a worthy opening partner to the skipper.

Cook has walked out with eight different players in 39 Tests since Andrew Strauss retired in 2012.

The latest incumbent, Alex Hales, offered little evidence that the search is about to end.

The 27-year-old opened in all four Tests but returned an average of 17, top scoring with 60, and there is every chance he could be dispensed with by the time the first Test against Sri Lanka starts at Headingley on May 19.

Bayliss said he wants to see a more aggressive top order, which might end Nick Compton's tenure at No.3.


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Source: AAP



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