Yes I think he could be - depends on how long Cook goes on for I guess Cricket is blessed to have 3 good young batsmen at the moment - Root, Smith and Williamson
England with 5 wickets standing trail South Africa by 75 runs at the end of Day 2 of the 3rd Test at the Wanderers England 238 for 5 (Root 106*, Stokes 58) - South Africa 313 (Elgar 46, Stokes 3-53) Great counter-attack by England - important 1st session coming up
What an amazing day!! England beat South Africa by seven wickets in the 3rd Test in Johannesburg England 323 (Root 110, Stokes 58, Radaba 5-78, Morkel 3-76) and 77 for 3 - South Africa 313 and 83 (Broad 6-17) England have an unassailable 2-0 lead in the 4 match series
Stuart Broad's sequence of 5 for 1 in 36 balls destroyed South Africa's top order in the first hour after lunch as 23 for 0 became 35 for 5. Remarkably, it was the seventh time in his Test career that he has taken five or more wickets in a spell
83 was South Africa's lowest total in a home Test since readmission and second lowest of all in that period, beaten only by their 79 against India on a turning surface in Nagpur in November. They have now failed to beat England in their last three home series, losing two of them
Incredible by Broad. England have a number of matchwinners in this team. Still need an opener, a settled upper middle order and a decent spinner in helpful conditions, but on fast, bouncy pitches or when the ball swings, England are a match for anyone with bat and ball.
England fast bowler Steven Finn looks certain to miss the final Test against South Africa in Centurion after sustaining a side strain on the final day of the third Test in Johannesburg.
Stuart Broad has become the first England bowler to top the ICC Test bowling rankings since Steve Harmison in 2004. Broad started the third Test in third place, and after his man-of-the-match performance in Johannesburg, has gone above R Ashwin and Dale Steyn. Before Harmison, Ian Botham was the last England bowler to top the bowling rankings. He reached No. 1 in 1980
Uncapped opener Stephen Cook has been added to the South Africa squad for the final Test against England, which starts in Pretoria on Friday. Cook made an unbeaten half-century against the tourists for South Africa A in a warm-up match before the series. The 33-year-old is the son of former Proteas Test batsman Jimmy Cook.
Liam Plunkett has been called into England's limited-overs squad in South Africa after the ECB confirmed that the side strain picked up by Steven Finn during the Johannesburg Test has ended his tour
South Africa made five changes for the fourth and final Test at Centurion as they dismantled the side that had conceded the series against England in the previous Test at The Wanderers. Stephen Cook came in for a long-predicted Test debut, adding some ballast the the top-order at the age of 33, and there were also recalls for JP Duminy, Quinton de Kock, Kyle Abbott and Dane Piedt. Stiaan van Zyl, Faf du Plessis, Dane Vilas, Hardus Viljoen and Chris Morris were all omitted By contrast, England's change - Chris Woakes replacing the injured Steven Finn - symbolised England's contentment at taking the series. AB de Villiers won the toss and chose to bat on a grassy but relatively dry surface
South Africa 329 for 5 at the end of Day 1 of the 4th Test against England at Centurion South Africa 329 for 5 (Cook 115, Amla 109, Ali 2-53)
England with 8 1st innings wickets standing trail South Africa by 337 runs at the end of the 2nd Day of the 4th Test at Centurion England 138 for 2 (Cook 67*, Root 31*, Rabada 2-55) - South Africa 475 (De Kock 129*, Cook 115, Amla 109, Stokes 4-86)
Why on earth did South Africa not pick Quinton DeKok at the start of the series? I know he was injured for the last test, but why was DeVilliers given the gloves? It had a huge negative impact on their best player. The lack of an all-rounder, fragile batting, a spinner who at best is average and Steyn/Philander injuries have led to some strange selection decisions
South Africa lead England 342 (Cook 76, Root 76, Rabada 7-112) by 175 runs at the end of the 3rd Day South Africa 475 (De Kock 129*, Cook 115, Amla 109, Stokes 4-86) and 42 for 1 (Cook 23*, Amla 16*) - England 342 (Cook 76, Root 76, Rabada 7-112)
England need 330 more runs to beat South Africa in the 4th test with 7 wickets standing England 342 and 52 for 3 (Root 19*, Taylor 19*) - South Africa 475 and 248 for 5 (Amla 96, Bavuma 78, Anderson 3-47)
Root bats all day for 150* and Stokes, Bairstow and Ali chip in with run a ball 50s Well, you never know
South Africa beat England by 280 runs in the 4th Test at Centurion South Africa 475 (De Kock 129*, Cook 115, Amla 109, Stokes 4-86) and 248 for 5 dec (Amla 96, Bavuma 78*) - England 342 (Root 76, Cook 76, Moeen 61, Rabada 7-112) and 101 (Rabada 6-32) England win series 2-1