PERTH, Dec 7 AAP - Tour rookie Jacques Rudolph went a long way towards securing a Test cricket debut by making a half-century for South Africa against Western Australia here today.

South Africa was 2-115 at lunch with Rudolph on 52 and Jacques Kallis on 20. Rudolph, 20, had some anxious moments on a lively pitch but stayed positive and pulled out a wide variety of attacking strokes.

He hit 10 boundaries - a couple through the slip cordon - in bringing up his 50 off 55 balls.

With his main rival Boeta Dippenaar left out of the team for this match, Rudolph is now a strong contender to make his Test debut against Australia at the Adelaide Oval next week.

With Kallis he's added 69 for the third wicket after the tourists lost their openers inside the first hour.

Herschelle Gibbs and Gary Kirsten departed early as WA's pace bowlers Matt Nicholson and Stuart Karpinnen made the most of the well-grassed strip.

Gibbs (two) went in the fifth over when he was caught behind off Nicholson and Kirsten (31) paid the price for chasing a wide ball from Karppinen and was snared at first slip by Simon Katich.

Rudolph took some time to find his bearings but also played some dazzling strokes through the offside field in a spirited showing.

Kallis, who has been in fantastic form in South Africa's home series this summer against Zimbabwe and India, struggled to lay bat on ball in the early part of his innings.

His four boundaries came from two edges and two crashing back foot drives. Acting South African captain Mark Boucher elected to bat first on a deck which offered more life and bounce than the one used for the drawn Test between Australia and New Zealand.

Tour captain Shaun Pollock opted to sit out this game to allow pacemen Allan Donald and Steve Elworthy to put forward their Test claims.

© 2001 AAP