Stephen Cook, the 26-year-old Highveld Lions opening batsman, wrote himself into the history books when he scored a monumental 390 against the Warriors at Buffalo Park on Sunday, the highest score ever made in first-class cricket in South Africa.
The Lions finished the match with 690/9 wickets declared in their first innings - the highest ever recored at Buffalo Park - in reply to the Warriors' 532 all out on Friday.
Altogether 1 222 runs were scored over the four days for the loss of only 19 wickets.
Cook and his partner, Thami Tsolekile (141), added 365, a new domestic sixth-wicket record which eclipsed the 292 scored by Morne van Wyk and Ryan Mclaren for the Eagles against the Warriors in Bloemfontein in the 2005/06 season, and the 317 scored by Damien Martyn and Adam Gilchrist for Australia against South Africa at the Wanderers in 2001/02.
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Cook's individual score eclipsed Daryll Cullinan's 337 not out for Transvaal against Northern Transvaal in 1993/94. The Lions opener scored 53 fours and a six.
He had the fortune of batting on a pitch as smooth as a billiard table which throughout the four days gave the hard-working bowlers little help.
Cook started batting at tea time on the second day and was only dismissed in the second session of the fourth day after batting throughout a hot Saturday when he finished on 202 not out.
Altogether he batted for two minutes short of 14 hours, the longest individual innings ever played by a batsman in South African domestic cricket.
The bulk of his last 190 runs was scored against part-time bowlers such as Jon-Jon Smuts and Michael Smith, who do not turn their arm over too often in top-flight cricket. Together they bowled 62 overs and conceded a massive 234 runs, with Smith tasting success with Tsolekile's wicket.
Altogether nine bowlers toiled thoughout the lengthy innings which stretched over 14 hours and 22 minutes - the longest ever first-class innings at Buffalo Park.
Makhaya Ntini escaped with brilliant figures, conceding only 38 runs off 31 overs.
Tsolekile's efforts were dwarfed by Cook's sustained knock, but he came in when the Lions were in danger of being asked to follow on at 245/5, still 137 shy of the follow-on figure of 382. He finished with his highest first-class score and his 329-ball innings was studded with 19 fours.
The bonus points were almost evenly shared, with the Warriors securing 6.58 (4.58 batting, 2 bowling) and the Lions 5.1 (3.1 batting, 2 bowling). - Sapa
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