South African captain Faf du Plessis has scored a fluent tour game century as he prepares to cop the brunt of Australia's venom in the looming Test series.
Du Plessis tuned up for the first Test starting next Thursday in Perth with a stylish ton on Thursday against a second-string South Australian side.
The Proteas captain make 102 retired, opener Dean Elgar posted 117 retired and Quinton de Kock struck 99 as the tourists posted 489 all out on the opening day of the two-day match at Glenelg Oval.
Temba Bavuma (43) and Vernon Philander (41 retired) also were amongst the runs against an inexperienced South Australian XI - the Redbacks' topliners are playing a Sheffield Shield game.
Despite the callow nature of the opposition, the Proteas are heartened by du Plessis' classy century ahead of the three-Test series.
The innings is perfect preparation for acting skipper du Plessis, who will cop great heat from Australia's bowlers who traditionally target the opposition captain - a tactic the South Africans acknowledge.
"I definitely feel that he will be aware of it," Bavuma told reporters.
"It's not his first tour of Australia. It's not his first time playing against Australia.
"So he will definitely know what challenges will come his way and I definitely think will be able to handle what comes his way."
While a batch of South African batsmen have banked tour-game runs, of concern is opener Stephen Cook, who has failed in three consecutive innings this tour.
Cook was dismissed for a second-over duck on Thursday, following his scores of 5 and 12 against a Cricket Australia XI last weekend in a pink-ball day-night match.
Hashim Amla (9) and fringe batsman Rilee Roussow (22) also failed on Thursday.
But du Plessis set an aggressive tone.
"This whole season he has been in good touch, he has led by example through his performances," Bavuma said.
"He has been very positive and that is generally how we try to go about our cricket."
