In part of two of our series on the best Proteas Test XI (of players who represented the country after the end of isolation), Stuart Hess looks at the No 3 spot, where there were really only two candidates.

Stuart Hess has been given the unenviable task of putting together his post-isolation Proteas Test team. Today he starts with the openers.

We have good experienced players, some youngsters and most of these players have over time played either SA Under-19, SA Emerging and SA Invitational teams.

Former cricket administrator Ewie Cronjé passed away in Bloemfontein at the age of 80.

'I would absolutely love to play but it's so unsure at the moment, where we're heading with cricket around the world.'

There is also no specialist batsman in the Proteas line-up who commands as much respect from the opposition.

Former England captain Sir Alastair Cook claims only four batsmen came close to rivalling Brian Lara's ability with a cricket bat.

Keshav Maharaj wants to captain the South African team across all-three formats and raise a World Cup trophy.

Maharaj made his impression over the course of the current season with his franchise, the Hollywoodbets Dolphins, whom he captained to the Momentum One-Day Cup title.

The controversy about his axing stood in stark contrast to his previous involvement with England in a New Year’s Test four years earlier.