Theunis de Bruyn eyes Proteas return, but knows he needs runs to walk the talk

Titans top-order batter Theunis de Bruyn has not given up hope of playing for the national team, but knows he needs the runs to get back into that reckoning.

De Bruyn hasn't had a head-turning season like Ryan Rickelton or Pieter Malan, two of the top three run-makers in the concluded Four-Day Series, but arguably made the most important 100 in the tournament.

In a game the Titans needed to win against the Lions, which they did on Monday by seven wickets to win the Four-Day Series title, De Bruyn made 143 which went a long way to deciding the game's outcome.

The innings was a special one for the 29-year-old right-hander, but he admitted he'll need a lot more of those tons if he wants to add to his 12 Test caps.

"I need to score runs, but I truly believe that I can play international cricket," De Bruyn said.

"I do think I'm good enough to play for South Africa, so yes, I do want to play for my country.

"That's been something I dreamt about since I was a boy, but I'm here now and this 100 meant a lot for me.

"I've had lots of cricket memories before I played for the Titans and I've had to play for and against the Titans to win trophies.

"There are a lot of good and bad emotions for me on this ground and this 100 meant a lot for me."

In winning four of their last five games of the season, the Titans' batting came together in a collective that always saw one batter delivering the goods.

In those ones, only once did they fail to make less than 250 and in the innings shakedowns of Western Province and the Knights, they surged past the 500-mark.

It was, as the Titans' most senior batter, De Bruyn's turn to deliver the goods when it mattered. It left him chuffed.

"This was a big game for us and we were hungry to perform. This was the