Makhaya Ntini's 100th Test was actually a curtain-call on his Test career. Photo: Duif du Toit/Gallo Images.
Hashim Amla, who will play his 100th Test from Thursday at the Wanderers, will hope to overturn his indifferent form in his milestone match.
Also read: Phew! There’s no talk of Hashim Amla retiring anytime soon
But how did the previous seven South African centurions fare in their special games?
Gary Kirsten – vs New Zealand, Auckland 2004
People used to say the former Proteas top-order batter and successful national coach batted in a bomb shelter.
That was how unflappable he was.
Yet his 100th Test was a bit of a nightmare.
He only scored a single in the first innings before he was bowled, leading to South Africa collapsing.
It was déjà vu in the second knock too as he scored 1 before being trapped LBW.
The Proteas lost by nine wickets but Kirsten atoned in his final Test as his 76 led them to a series draw.
Jacques Kallis – vs New Zealand, Centurion 2006
South Africa’s greatest all-rounder had a typically solid outing.
He was disappointed to be dismissed for 38 in the first innings when he looked set but a gritty 62 in the second effort helped the home side set a match-winning target after they initially fell behind.
Interestingly, Kallis’ 100th Test never felt like he was nearing retirement.
In fact, he went on to play a further 66 Tests.
Shaun Pollock – vs New Zealand, Centurion 2006
The flame-haired stalwart shared his honour with Kallis but his big milestone was actually a farewell of sorts.
His 24 propped up South Africa’s first innings and took 2/45 in his opponent’s first dig.
Yet in the second innings, the new-ball pair of Makhaya Ntini and Dale Steyn took all 10 wickets between them and slowly but surely, Polly’s importance to the Test side became less so.
Mark Boucher – vs Pakistan, Centurion 2007
Like his best mate Kallis, the legendary wicketkeeper’s 100th Test was merely a milestone.
He would still go on to play a further 47 Tests.
Boucher’s glovework was superb in this match but he only scored 2 in his only knock.
Makhaya Ntini – vs England, Centurion 2009
This was indeed a magical occasion.
South African cricket’s first genuine development product had grown into the world’s leading fast bowler and remains the country’s only non-white player to play 100 Tests.
He was typically energetic in the first innings, ending with a solid haul of 2/78 yet he wasn’t as effective after that.
Ntini only played one more Test before being rather unceremoniously dumped.
Graeme Smith – vs England, The Oval 2012
South Africa’s greatest captain deservedly experienced a fantastic 100th Test.
This was one of the Proteas’ greatest performances ever – winning by an innings and 12 runs.
Smith had set up the magnificent victory with a bruising 131, becoming only the seventh man in history to score a hundred in his 100th Test.
Later on, he was overshadowed by Hashim Amla making an unbeaten 311 but he can nonetheless reminisce fondly.
AB de Villiers – vs India, Bangalore 2015
The dynamic strokemaker’s achievement was about the only highlight in a thoroughly depressing Test series for the Proteas – they lost 3-0.
De Villiers, a star for the Royal Challengers Bangalore side in the Indian Premier League, is a household name in the city and his reception in this game was amazing.
He played a superb, counter-attacking innings in making 85 as South Africa only made 214.
Thereafter, all the four remaining days rained out.
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