Maketa happy with Bavuma's form ahead of Aussie Tests: 'He is confident again'

Proteas interim coach Malibongwe Maketa is pleased with batter Temba Bavuma's form ahead of their Test series against Australia.

The Proteas take on the World Test Championship leaders for three-Test series, with the first Test set to start on Saturday at the Gabba in Brisbane.

Bavuma has been under-fire since taking over the reins as South Africa's T20 captain, which was heightened by his inconsistent form at the T20 World Cup.

Bavuma only managed 70 runs at an average of 17.50 in South Africa's five T20 World Cup matches and did not feature for the Lions in the CSA 4-Day Franchise Series.

In South Africa's drawn four-day warm-up against Cricket Australia XI, Bavuma only batted in one innings and scored 28 off 92 balls.

Maketa insists that he is happy with Bavuma's progress ahead of Saturday's opening Test in Brisbane when asked over his current form.

"It would have been nice for him to have two innings, but he's battered a lot of volume since we've gotten here. So from that point of view in terms of volume, in terms of the work, I'm very happy with his progress," Maketa told reporters on Wednesday.

"Yes, he spent a lot of time in the middle and hit the ball quite nicely. Even today, in our first practice at the Gabba, he was one of the best batters on show there.

"So from that point of view, I'm very happy and where he is mentally, he is smiling and is confident again, and that bodes very well for us in terms of being one of our best batters going into this series."

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Several SA batters got some much-needed time in the middle as the Proteas scored 347 and then declared for 304/8.

Dean Elgar (109, 26), Kyle Verreynne (80, 3*), Rassie van der Dussen (27,