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If relief had a face, it would be that of Stephen Cook. The South Africa opener scored the second hundred of his six-Test career - which sounds pretty decent if you think about it - under immense pressure, as he sought to prove his worth in Australia. He can leave knowing that he succeeded.Cook was the last man out in South Africas second innings in Adelaide, as he made 104 out of a total of 250, having batted for over six hours. He helped South Africa set a target of 127, which Australia chased down with seven wickets to spare.Ive had a tough time the last couple of weeks, thats plain and obvious to say, Cook said after the day-night Test ended. Before the series I knew things were going to be tough. I knew the Aussies had a good bowling line-up. And I got tested. By hook or by crook, I suppose - by hook or by Cook- I managed to come through.With scores of 0, 12, 23, 11 and 40 in the previous five innings on the tour, and growing uncertainty with his footwork, Cook faced severe criticism over his technique. He spent some sessions with long-time team-mate and current South Africa batting coach Neil McKenzie working on his trigger movement but admitted he never intended to change his entire approach, especially it had served him so well for the best part of the previous decade and a half.It wasnt a pretty show but Ive never been a pretty cricketer, Cook said. I know its not classical. I know its a little bit ugly. I know I crab across the crease. Ive heard many descriptions of it. Unfortunately, this technique is the one Ive got and the one Ive used for a long time. Its gotten me so far - yes, Ill do little tweaks and try and make amendments - and by and large I stick with what Ive got and try make it work for me.I dont think Im ever going to jump onto the front foot like Ricky Ponting or move in and behind the ball like some other players. For me its about getting my game plan going and keeping my disciplines going. Cooks patience was the hallmark of his hundred, as he defended tirelessly and refused to be dislodged. He knew that the longer he hung on, the better the chance he had to make an impression on the toughest stage he has played on to date. I knew Australia is a place you can be made or broken. Im leaving with people perhaps being able to see that I can bat better than I have these last few weeks.The fight for runs was particularly tough against Mitchell Starc, who dismissed Cook in four out five innings in the series. It was difficult with angles. You dont get many left-armers who bowl 150 kph, so he had my number, Cook said. That was the battle - to get away from him and score enough runs at the other end.Cook attributed his turnaround to experience and the strong support he received from team-mates and family.There have been a lot of times in my career where Ive gone on streaks longer than this without scoring runs. The nice thing is that I never felt like I was playing that badly. I never felt like I wasnt picking up the ball or that Ive got no chance. I felt things turned around for me on this tour on a personal level [when my family arrived]. My family doesnt care whether Ive scored nought or a hundred. My little daughter looks at me the same way today as she looked at me three weeks ago. It shows you whats really important.The morning before the Adelaide Test, Cook, his wife Laura and young daughter Elianna were strolling around the Torrens river. He even took the time to cheer on some jogging journalists. At no point on the tour did Cook seem weighed down by his difficulties. In the end, its just a game of cricket.Cheap Fake Shoes Online . On Tuesday, Ottawa placed forward Cory Conacher and defenceman Joe Corvo on waivers as trade rumours swirl around the Senators. Cheap Shoes Outlet Stores . Carey Price didnt, but he still came out on top against one of his rivals for the No. 1 job at the Sochi Games. The Anahim Lake, B.C., native was stellar in making 39 saves in his home province and Lars Eller got credit for a bizarre short-handed winner as the Canadiens defeated the Canucks 4-1. http://www.cheapshoes.us.org/ . Booth picked up 65 caps after making her national team debut in 2002 at the age of 17. She most recently played for Sky Blue FC of the National Womens Soccer League. "It just felt like it was my time to move on," she said in a phone interview from her hometown of Burlington, Ont. 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The plan for Cook, to head home for the birth of his second child, could hardly have gone better. On Tuesday, as the rest of the squad enjoy a day on the golf course or by the pool, Cook will head to the nets; he felt in fine fettle on his week-long jaunt to Bangladesh during the ODI series, and two days training should be adequate for a man of his experience.What of the other ten players, then? Haseeb Hameed and Ben Duckett, the candidates to open with Cook, had fine weekends, each living up to their billing. After scoring his third and fourth half-centuries and not being dismissed across 164 deliveries, Duckett will surely debut, but Hameeds efforts mean it will likely be from No.4.The sight of Gary Ballance wandering out after tea, only when Hameeds 125-ball 57 had been retired, seemed to confirm there was a vacancy in the middle order. Ballance was another to go unbeaten over the two innings - with 27 then 36 - but he lacked comfort or fluency. Jos Buttlers chances seem to be over for now (he made 4, including a dropped catch, before slicing to point), although it would be a great surprise if he does not play at some stage during the seven Tests before Christmas; Trevor Bayliss, Englands coach, remains desperate to get him in.Perhaps the most heartening aspect of Ducketts performances was that he displayed various gears. Sure, Saturdays innings was a mighty impressive display of dash and timing, but on Monday, he dug in; his first 25 runs took 70 balls before he scored 27 off his next 21. The unorthodoxy displayed during the ODI series - when he was not at his most fluent, but battled hard - was back, with reverse sweeps and peculiar scoring areas. By lunch on Monday, Bayliss had seen enough, even if the birthday boy (22 today) wanted to bat on.Hameed conformed to type. His forward defensive is an oft-seen, elegant lunge, with the ball seldom failing to connect with his bats midddle.dddddddddddd. He leaves as much as he can, off seam and spin, but does have boundary options, seen most notably when he sent three consecutive deliveries from Ebadat Hossain for four with a straight drive, a late cut, then a pull. For all the Boycott talk, Bangladeshs bowling coach Courtney Walsh thinks he resembles Mike Atherton, but his team-mates are reminded of Joe Root in India in 2012 - boyish, skinny (and running plenty of twos as a result) but ready. A debut surely awaits.Root will bat at No 3, with the moveable feast of allrounders Moeen Ali, Ben Stokes and Jonny Bairstow between No.5 and No.7; it is unclear in which order they will appear, but all three have plenty of responsibility in the field, so it may be fluid. Chris Woakes and Adil Rashid, who was kept under wraps here, will follow, with Gareth Batty likely to beat Zafar Ansari to the third spinners position, and Stuart Broad batting at No.11. All eleven players will have first-class hundreds.England learnt just as much in the field, and improved markedly as the bowlers located their rhythm and acclimatised to the searing heat on a flat pitch. There were two dropped catches in 44 overs on Saturday, but none in 75 on Sunday, while Root will have plenty to feed back to Cook about field placings. Both Bairstow and Buttler have had a go behind the stumps, and three short legs have been trialled too, but Hameed seems the favoured option.Certainly, all-out attack with the new ball - which did not swing much for Woakes - seems unlikely, and Root soon had close catchers in front of the bat instead of a packed cordon. The lack of swing, coupled with the morning behind the stumps, and three short legs have been trialled too, but Hameed seems the favoured option.Certainly, all-out attack with the new ball - which did not swing much for Woakes - seems unlikely, and Root soon had close catchers in front of the bat instead of a packed cordon. The lack of swing, coupled wsession hosting the most brutal heat of the day, may see a defensive approach early on. While reverse was not found here - perhaps because the outfield was more vegetable patch than lawn and the pitch was flat and unabrasive - England expect to find it at the Zohur Ahmed Chowdhury Stadium.Finn all but confirmed the plan to use three seamers (of which he does not think he will be one) and three spinners - pending a pitch inspection on Wednesday, of course. But the last lesson England learned here came from Bangladesh themselves: by including in their 14-man squad four specialist spinners and just two seamers - who may not even both play - the tourists know precisely the challenge ahead. ' ' '