Date-stamped : 09 Mar97 - 22:26 9 March 1997 Mixed Performances By South Africa Test Candidates Although wholesale changes are not expected when the South African team for the second test against Australia is announced on Monday evening, there are opportunities during this week`s fi- nal round of SuperSport Series games for the incumbents to secure their places and for the aspirants to press their claims. Playing for Transvaal against Northern Transvaal Adam Bacher produced a patient 59 not out while his team-mates produced an otherwise woeful display of batting to be 115/5 at the close of play yesterday. Also playing in that fixture is Fanie De Villiers, who`s ac- cu- racy and unflagging determination would have been appreciated during the first Test. However he came on as second change, did not bowl at full pace and ended the day with figure of 12.1-4- 22-1. De Villiers did bowl 10 overs on the trot, conceding just 20 runs, and swung the ball consistently away from the right handed batsmen. In contrast to Bacher`s assured knock against Northern`s use- ful pace attack, Darryl Cullinan scored a mere 8 runs in 53 minutes. At Newlands, Jacques Kallis and Herschelle Gibbs put on a record 257 for the third Western Province wicket in their match against newly crowned champions Natal. Kallis scored 138 and Gibbs, who became the first player in seven years to score a cen- tury before lunch in South Africa, was unbeaten on 163 when John Commins declared at 433/3. Andrew Hudson, who has come under fire from the media if not from the selectors, scored just 28 for Natal and Jonty Rhodes 20. Perhaps more significantly, Brian McMillan opened the bowling for WP and showed pace, fire and bounce. He is expected to be in- cluded in the Test squad, and it seems probable that a batsman will be dropped to accommodate his presence. Pat Symcox, who would turn the ball away from the left handers in the Australian top order, batted aggressively, albeit briefly, but took just 1/89 from 27 overs. Free State are playing Eastern Province in Bloemfontein. Al- lan Donald and Dave Richardson are being rested for this game, but the national captain Hansie Cronje is playing, as is Louis Koen who was named in the `A` side against India and is enjoying a successful season. It is unlikely that the selectors would even discuss dropping Cronje, but he cannot have been happy with his 7 in Free State`s first innings. He got 40 in the second knock before falling to Tim Shaw. Koen, who`s praises have been sung of late by Kepler Wessels, scored 57 out of EP`s 198 all out. Contributed by Bob.Dubery (megapode@global.co.za)