Proteas batsmen prepare for Aussie onslaught

Standard Bank Proteas opening batsman, Stephen Cook, says Australia’s bowling attack will be given due respect in the first Test starting at the WACA ground on Thursday. While Mitchell Starc has been tipped as the home team’s danger-man, the Proteas’ batsmen will be preparing and making plans for the entire attack, which boasts skilled bowlers capable of making an impact on the day. Cook and the new-comers in the line-up have tapped into the experience of the senior batsmen who have had success at the WACA in the past, and have adopted an ‘assess and adapt’ approach ahead of the series opener.Cook scored a hundred on his debut against England at SuperSport Park in January, and although he has only played three Test matches, boasts an impressive CV of 16 years’ worth of first-class experience. Despite turning out low scores in the warm-up matches, the 33-year-old says he feels in ‘decent’ form and will be starting the match with a fresh slate in a series he describes as the ‘pinnacle’ of his young Test career.