Top 5 number 5s in Tests for South Africa

South Africa may have been away from cricket for around two decades due to the boycott of their cricket team by other nations but that did not cripple the country's cricketing infrastructure.

They continued to produce great cricketers and when they reentered the game in the early 1990s, it didn't seem that they had been away for so long.

On the other hand, they are the third oldest Test playing nation and hence the cricketing history of South Africa is quite rich.

They have produced plenty of outstanding middle-order batsmen for decades and among them, many have been excellent number 5s. Here is a look at 5 of the best to have ever played for South Africa.

#5 Roy McLean

The right-hander played for South Africa at a time when they were very much part of the cricketing establishment and during the course of his Test career (1951-1954), Roy McLean became the team's middle-order mainstay.

McLean played 40 Tests for South Africa in his career and in 22 of those, he batted at number 5. McLaren was a solid batsman who first came into prominence in a Test match in Australia when he helped his team complete a remarkable victory (Australia had made 520) with a gritty 76.

That innings was played in South Africa's tour to Australia in 1952-53 and since then he continued to be a fixture in the middle-order. In the 22 Test matches in which he McLean batted at number 5, he made 1056 runs at an average of 36.41 and made 5 centuries, in addition to 1 fifty.

#4 Hansie Cronje

The former South African captain turned the team into one of the finest units in the 1990s and in addition to that, Hansie Cronje proved to be an excellent middle-order batsman during the majority of his career.

When he first started off playing for South Africa, he batted at number 3 for some Test but eventually, he moved to the middle-order and played at number 5 in 38 out of his 68 Tests. Cronje was primarily an attacking batsman but at the same time, he had a robust defensive technique as well.

On the other hand, what made him such an excellent number 5 for South Africa was that he was the best player of spin in the side and that came in handy whenever a spinner got on top of their batting line-up.

Over the course of those 36 Test matches, Cronje made 2023 runs, which is the third highest of all time and averaged 37.46. He made 3 centuries and as many as 15 half-centuries.

#3 Ashwell Prince

The left-hander was one of the rocks of the South African middle-order for around nine years from 2002 to 2011 and went on to become one of the most dependable batsmen at the number 5 position.

Ashwell Prince was a gritty batsman, who was not only capable of staying at the wicket and playing fighting knocks in trying conditions but also had the ability to play strokes when required. He was particularly good on the offside and was well known for his strength against loose on the off stump.

On the other hand, he was a superb player of spin as well and used to be one of South Africa's finest players against the leading spin bowlers. Prince played at number 5 in 43 out of his 66 Test matches and made 2450 runs at an average of 44.54. He made 9 centuries and 6 half-centuries.

#2 Faf du Plessis

The current South African captain starting playing for the national team back in 2012 and around the last five year or so Faf du Plessis has become one of the best batsmen in the side.

Du Plessis has batted at plenty of positions over the course of his 47 match Test match career so far but it is at number 5 that he has cemented his spot and has batted at the position in 21 Tests.

The right-hander is one of the most technically accomplished batsmen in the world and his famed for his patience, determination and the ability to grind the opposition. However, at the same time, it must be noted that he is an excellent stroke-maker as well and can play shots all around the wicket.

He is comfortable against spin as well and that has made Du Plessis an excellent number 5. In 21 Tests, he has made 1429 runs at an average of 51.03 and has notched up 3 centuries and 10 half-centuries.

#1 AB de Villiers

He is quite simply one of the best batsmen to have ever played for South Africa and certainly among the greatest players of all time. Right-handed batsman AB de Villiers has been South Africa's middle-order lynchpin since 2004 and in a glittering career spanning over 104 Test matches, he has become one of the best number 5s in the world.

He has played at number 5 on 56 occasions and scored runs all over the world. De Villiers is an ultra-attacking batsman, who can take any bowling attack on his day, irrespective of the conditions and in addition to that, he has a superb defensive technique that allows him to defend doggedly when the need arises.

Although he picks and chooses when to play Test cricket nowadays, South Africa almost always do better when he is on the side. In those 56 Tests, De Villiers has scored 3787 runs at an outstanding average of 60.11 and remains South Africa's most prolific number 5 till date. He has made 13 centuries and 15 half-centuries while batting at number 5.