Anthony McGrath is convinced Yorkshire favourite Jacques Rudolph will succeed on his return to international cricket with South Africa tomorrow.

The left-handed batsman will end a five-year hiatus against Australia at Cape Town after playing the last of his 35 Tests in August, 2006.

Rudolph, 30, has since spent four-and-a-half seasons playing county cricket for the White Rose (four of them as a Kolpak player), a spell which has seen his reputation rocket.

He has also scored a remarkable 592 runs, including a double hundred, from a quartet of four-day domestic matches for the Nashua Titans franchise since the beginning of October.

Rudolph will open the batting with captain Graeme Smith at the picturesque Newlands ground, and McGrath said: "Since he's been out of the side, he's said himself that he's matured as a person, which is massive.

"Coming to England, embracing the culture and the cricket, was big for him. He wasn't just a fantastic batsman, he was a fantastic team man.

"We've seen him develop over the last few years. He wasn't just a player who came over for personal gain, taking his money and going straight back home, he embraced the club. He was popular with everyone at the club.

"He tried to pass on information to players young and old, while he didn't have a problem getting stuck in at club events.

"There'll be a lot of people rooting for him back at Headingley, and I'm sure he'll go well, I've got no doubts about that."

Despite McGrath's confidence that his colleague and friend will shine on the highest stage, the experienced batsman knows that it may not happen immediately.

And he has urged the South African selectors to show patience with the Pretorian.

McGrath said: "He's a very strong person mentally, which means he's got all the attributes to succeed at that level. All he needs now is that little bit of luck.

"In the era of sport we're in, people want instant results. I just hope there's a little bit of common sense there that they give him time to readjust if things don't quite go as planned straightaway.

"He's a very fit bloke, and he's got at least four or five years at that level if he's successful.

"Hopefully they'll give him a decent run now even if he does have a few low scores to start with.

"South Africa and Australia have a bit of history, so it will be a tough one for him to start with. But, on the other hand, it's a good one because it will prove to him and other people that he can perform at that level."

The series will be played over two Tests, with the second at Johannesburg. The South Africans also host Sri Lanka and travel to New Zealand this winter.

It is no surprise that Rudolph is Yorkshire's preferred choice to return as their overseas player in 2012, although South Africa's tour of England would almost certainly limit his availability.