Date-stamped : 06 Aug94 - 02:28 A Preview to the South African Summer 1994-95 The coming South African summer could well be the most interesting in South African Cricketing history. Already some changes in the Domestic Competitions have been made and will see the inclusion of more domestic sides in the Castle Cup Four Day Competition. The new teams will be the various Vaal Triangle Teams and the Griqua Teams which last season comprised the Impala side which was only allowed to play Limited Over Domestic Cricket. This season however sees some changes and I will preview the various teams. Castle Cup winners last season Orange Free State should head into this season as certain favourites to defend the Cup a second time after winning it for the first time in 1992-93. They have a solid batting line-up in Hansie Cronje, Gerhardus Liebenberg, Rudi Steyn and Louis Wilkinson. Also in Allan Donald, they have the perfect strike bowler in an already threatening and balanced bowling attack which also features Franklyn Stephenson and left- arm spinner Nicky Boje. However they will receive stout opposition from teams such as Natal and Western Province who all looked good last season but just failed to make the grade against Orange Free State. Even the newcomers of last season, Boland, had made an impact on the Castle Cup, despite their ten wicket loss in their first match against neighbours Western Province last season. Boland, however, do enter this season with more experience and a lot more confidence under new captain John Commins. On the Limited Over side of things there are a number of teams who could take it this season. Although Orange Free State walked away with the Benson & Hedges Cup last season, I don't believe it will be quite that easy this time around. With Western Province eager to prove themselves capable winners in the competition, after reaching the semi-finals only to go down 1-2 out of a best of three semi-final event, they will certainly be going out in the coming season at full steam along with Border, Natal and Transvaal. A look at the other Domestic teams ie. Northern Transvaal and Eastern Province will leave much to be desired. Northern Transvaal will remember themselves as the team that Daryll Cullinan scored 337 not out against and Eastern Province will be wondering how long it will be before they once again gain national recognition. Eastern Province without Kepler Wessels's solid batting in the top order have looked brittle and without a fast bowler due to injuries, retirement and desertion by paceman Rudi Bryson, Eastern Province go into the season very much unsure of how they will be able to cope. Concluding, I would like to say that we will see good cricket in South Africa this season. I think that the weaker teams will improve with exposure to the International players and the stronger teams will provide their players with a chance to show the selectors what they are capable of. I think we will see the Western Province bowling and Orange Free State batting certainly coming off and these two teams must definitely consider themselves the favourites in both the four-day and one-day competitions. Contributed by Eitan.Prince (g94p5293@giraffe.ru.ac.za)