WATCH: Perseverance pays off for Cook

Bizhub Highveld Lions batsman and captain, Stephen Cook might have counted himself unlucky on a number of occasions but his faith and resilience have paid off.

Cook recently made his international test match debut at the age of 33 against England – and to put the cherry on top, he became the 100th test player to score a century on debut.

The King Edward VII School old boy has been the most consistent batsman in domestic cricket in the past decade.

WATCH: Cook gives advice to young cricketers:

Having lived in the shadow of other batsmen, including Graeme Smith, whom he opened the batting with at school, Cook admitted that he thought the moment would never come. “It took a long time, a lot of patience, it did not come easy. It tested me, there were tough times, where I waited and that call-up never came, but I hung in there,” said Cook.

He said he knew that the older he became, the less chance he had to get the national call-up, but the hope never died.

“I always believed that there was a chance, I just had to do even more. I never gave up that belief,” he said.

Cook, whose father Jimmy Cook is also a former Proteas player, said the moment was even more special, knowing that his father who been there him for him all his career was watching in the stands.

The Lions have been one of the consistent teams in franchise cricket over the last five seasons and, not long ago, they won the Momentum One Day Cup under the guidance of Cook, beating the Cape Cobras in the final.

LISTEN: Cook explains his first Test century:

When asked what the secret to the team’s success has been, Cook was quick to praise the young stars coming through the ranks for their great performances. “We have a team environment where the young guys can really make a difference. We want to create a culture of excellence, regardless of who the people are.”Despite having scored a 100 on debut and been in the top of the charts in domestic cricket, Cook said he is still hungry for more success. The classic right-handed opening batsman boasts a healthy first-class record having played 169 matches since making his debut in the 2000/01 season, with an average of 41 and a highest score of 390.

“I would certainly like to play a lot more test cricket, and we can look back a few years later and say it was more than just one test match,” he added.

Cook also thanked former Lions teammate and captain, Neil McKenzie for being an influential figure in his career.