As we’re approaching the crucial Test series between the Proteas and Australia, the 4-Day domestic tournament is continuing to bring forth favourable results.

Proteas Test skipper Dean Elgar reiterated that runs are currency and demanded batters produce bigger scores. The game between the Knights and the Western Province at Newlands saw a record triple-century from Tony de Zorzi.

But despite the heavy defeat for the visitors, it wasn’t all doom and gloom, as another widely-tipped superstar in the making, Raynard van Tonder, scored a fighting 117 in the second innings.

Now some of us may remember that van Tonder was previously part of a Proteas Test squad, and this knock is an omen of what we may see in the not-too-distant future. Plus this century was a bit of a watershed moment, as the solid right-hander was looking to quickly get out of a dry run.

“It was quite an emotional innings,” said van Tonder to Cricket Fanatics Magazine. “This was a big game for me to show what I’m capable of doing. WP bowled really well, especially early on. Ultimately it was all about watching the ball for as long as possible.”

One noticeable improvement in Van Tonder’s game is his versatility against the spectrum of lines and lengths as well as his adaptability to the playing conditions.

“This is only the second time I’ve played here in this format. When it sinks in, I’ll be really happy about scoring a century away from home.”

When asked about his aspirations, the youngster placed emphasis on making further progress with the Knights before anything else. Higher honours are the dream, and churning out match-winning contributions will always be helpful stepping stones.

“At the moment, we need to win games if we want to go any further. It’s all about putting in your performances, and the result will take care of itself. I’m excited for some one-day cricket and we’ll be seeing some more red-ball cricket in February.”

The modus operandi for Van Tonder is pretty self-explanatory: take things session by session with a measured approach without overthinking.

“It was about getting to drinks, then getting to lunch, getting to the next drinks break, and so on. As a batter, if you face bad balls, you’ll get a chance to score. Bowlers will get tired, and at the end of the day, you’ll want to bat after tea, since that’s when you’ll score most of your runs.”