PERTH, Dec 7 AAP - South African tour rookie Jacques Rudolph today raised his chances of a Test debut against Australia next week.

Rudolph hit an enterprising 59 in difficult conditions on the first day of South Africa's four-day match against Western Australia at the WACA.

South Africa was 6-239 at tea, with acting captain Mark Boucher on 50 and Steve Elworthy on 21 - having crashed three fours and a six.

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.

Rudolph played in South Africa's match against India last month - which would have been his Test debut had the ICC not stripped the match of Test status when both teams vetoed Mike Denness as the match referee.

Batting at No.3 in that match, he made 21 before being run out.

He also bowls legspin with some skill - which could be a useful asset in Adelaide.

Rudolph, who is playing his 24th first-class match, eventually fell when he edged a catch to wicketkeeper Ryan Campbell off the bowling of Matt Nicholson.

With Jacques Kallis (21) he added 89 for the third wicket after the tourists lost their openers inside the first hour.

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.

He was Ryan Campbell's third catch behind the stumps, off the bowling of Stuart Karppinen as South Africa lost two wickets with the score at 125.

And when Lance Klusener (8) played on to Karppinen with a loose stroke, South Africa slumped to 5-149.

In-form batsman Neil McKenzie was unlucky to be bowled by Gavin Swan for 35 - the ball hitting a crack in the pitch and changing line dramatically.

Boucher, who 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, was in confident form - bringing up his half-century off 57 balls with eight boundaries.

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

For WA, Nicholson (2-48) and Karppinen (3-72) were the outstanding contributors, using all the assistance on offer to torment the batsmen.

© 2001 AAP