Ashwell Prince, who returns to the national team for the third and final Test against Australia in Cape Town next week, sent a strong message last Friday when he became the highest run scorer since the introduction of South African franchise cricket in 2004/05, crikcet365.com reported on its web site.

Prince, who will open the batting for the Proteas, prepared for the Test by opening for the Warriors in their Supersport Series match against the Titans - and showed what he is worth by making 254. It was the highest score since the start of franchise cricket and the highest score at Supersport Park, the report added.

Prince batted for more than nine hours and faced 356 deliveries to bring up his highest score. His innings included 28 fours and eight sixes. It was a superb innings, with Prince offering virtually no chances until a tired shot was caught at mid-wicket by Morne Morkel.

"It was really nice to make such a big score," Prince was quoted as having said.

"I was getting very tired towards the end, but I enjoyed it. It was my first double century - often, if you bat in the middle, you run out of partners before you can get to the really big numbers, but opening gives you a chance to make some really big scores.

"You have to have a different mindset when you open," he added.

"The first hour, I just tried to keep things tight, and to survive. Then after about 20 overs, I was in conditions that I am more used to, with the shine taken off the ball," he was quoted as having said.

Despite doing so well, Prince said he still preferred to bat lower down the order.

"But those are the cards I’ve been dealt," he said. "Playing for South Africa is very important to me, and I will play wherever they want me to."

Prince confessed to feeling a bit uncertain about the role he was expected to play in the national team.

"I don’t know if this is a stopgap thing for just one Test," he said.

"I think it’s a bit of a Catch-22 situation - you have two new openers and it feels a bit like a play-off between Imraan Khan and me. What if I fail, and Imraan makes a hundred next week - what happens when Graeme (Smith) comes back? Then he’s done well and they can’t drop him."

Prince was injured just before the first Test against Australia in Perth in December last year. His absence gave JP Duminy the opportunity to stake his claim to a place in the Test side - and when the team for the first two return Tests was announced, Prince’s name was not there.