South African opening batsman’s century in a losing cause in a test
SC Cook’s 104 against Australia at Adelaide was in a losing cause to provide the 14th occasion of a South African opening batsman’s century going in vain in a test. All such occasions are listed below
| No | Player | Runs | Inns | Opposition | Ground | Start Date |
| 1 | JW Zulch | 150 | 3 | v Australia | Sydney | 03 Mar 1911 |
| 2 | HW Taylor | 109 | 1 | v England | Durban | 13 Dec 1913 |
| 3 | B Mitchell | 109 | 3 | v England | Durban | 20 Jan 1939 |
| 4 | A Melville | 117 | 2 | v England | Lord’s | 21 Jun 1947 |
| 5 | EAB Rowan | 143 | 1 | v Australia | Durban | 20 Jan 1950 |
| 6 | EJ Barlow | 109 | 1 | v Australia | Melbourne | 01 Jan 1964 |
| 7 | AC Hudson | 163 | 2 | v West Indies | Bridgetown | 18 Apr 1992 |
| 8 | AC Hudson | 102 | 1 | v Australia | Cape Town | 17 Mar 1994 |
| 9 | G Kirsten | 153 | 3 | v Australia | Sydney | 02 Jan 2002 |
| 10 | HH Gibbs | 183 | 1 | v England | The Oval | 04 Sep 2003 |
| 11 | HH Gibbs | 161 | 2 | v England | Johannesburg | 13 Jan 2005 |
| 12 | AN Petersen | 100 | 1 | v India | Kolkata | 14 Feb 2010 |
| 13 | D Elgar | 118* | 2 | v England | Durban | 26 Dec 2015 |
| 14 | SC Cook | 104 | 3 | v Australia | Adelaide | 24 Nov 2016 |
SC Cook’s 104 against Australia at Adelaide was in a losing cause to provide the sixth occasion of a South African opening batsman’s century going in vain in a test against Australia. All such occasions are listed below
| No | Player | Runs | Inns | Opposition | Ground | Start Date |
| 1 | JW Zulch | 150 | 3 | v Australia | Sydney | 03 Mar 1911 |
| 2 | EAB Rowan | 143 | 1 | v Australia | Durban | 20 Jan 1950 |
| 3 | EJ Barlow | 109 | 1 | v Australia | Melbourne | 01 Jan 1964 |
| 4 | AC Hudson | 102 | 1 | v Australia | Cape Town | 17 Mar 1994 |
| 5 | G Kirsten | 153 | 3 | v Australia | Sydney | 02 Jan 2002 |
| 6 | SC Cook | 104 | 3 | v Australia | Adelaide | 24 Nov 2016 |