Cook, Elgar lay platform for Proteas

Cape Town - The Proteas are off to a solid start in the Boxing Day Test against Sri Lanka with openers Stephen Cook and Dean Elgar batting through the first session on day one in Port Elizabeth.

LIVE: SA V SRI LANKA, DAY 1

At lunch, South Africa were 92/0 with Cook (52*) and Elgar (39*) largely untroubled. 

Uncharacteristically, it was Cook most fluid at the start of the day as the gritty opener worked anything too straight through the on side. 

The Sri Lankan seam attack was disciplined and bowled in largely good areas just outside the off stump, but the Proteas batters showed mature application and shot selection. 

By lunch, the visitors had introduced spinner Rangana Herath into the attack, but he struggled to create any wicket-taking opportunities.

Cook brought up his half century off 102 balls in the last over of the session. 

South Africa have opted for consistency in their line-up with their only change coming in the spinning department, where Keshav Maharaj replaces Tabraiz Shamsi from the side that played in the third Test against Australia last month. 

Earlier, Proteas captain Faf du Plessis had won the toss.

Scores in brief:

SA 92/0 (Cook 52*, Elgar 39*)

Teams:

SA

Stephen Cook, Dean Elgar, Hashim Amla, JP Duminy, Faf du Plessis (captain), Temba Bavuma, Quinton de Kock, Keshav Maharaj, Vernon Philander, Kagiso Rabada, Kyle Abbott

Sri Lanka

Kaushal Silva, Dimuth Karunaratne, Kusal Mendis, Angelo Mathews (captain), Dinesh Chandimal, Dhananjaya de Silva, K Pererea, Rangana Herath, Dushmantha Chameera, Suranga Lakmal, Nuwan Pradeep