Date-stamped : 20 Jul94 - 18:26 Tour: South Africa v Northamptonshire, Nothampton, 16-18 Jul 94 ====> Day 1, 16 Jul 94 RHODES LIFTS THE TEMPO Kepler Wessels bolsters a patchy batting performance geared more to grit than grace. South Africans 296-7, Northants 20-0. The South Africans have yet to beat a county side in five out- ings, but that does not concern Kepler Wessels unduly. His meti- culuous plans for this tour were never likely to be amended by any inducements offered by the sponsors, Tetleys. He has resist- ed fielding his Test side in any of the games. His spearhead, Al- lan Donald, has been carefully molly-coddled, while his other seamers have operated on a rota system. The two spinners, Pat Symcox and Tim Shaw, have been used li- berally. This is part of the strategy to ease the burden of the pacemen and to give the spinners confidence just in case one is needed in the Tests. However, even in Sri Lanka, supposedly a spinner's haven, Wessels finally decided that a four-pronged pace attack was his best option. At Lord's he is certain to reach the same conclusion. Yesterday Donald and Fanie De Villiers, his Test opening bowlers, were missing. Wessels had intended playing his six Test batsmen, but Andrew Hudson was forced to make a late withdrawal with a back injury, which should not, however, jeopardise his place at Lord's. He was replaced by Gerhardus Liebenberg before South Africa had lost their seventh toss of the tour and found themselves batting on a green pitch. It was never entirely trustworthy; there was the occasional puff of dust despite the long grass. South Africa's progress was unspectacular but effective. This is likely to be the pattern in the Tests. We are more likely to admire their grittiness than their grace. The tourists declared at 296 for seven, leaving Northants to survive an awkward 25 minutes. The last South African team before the exile possessed several supremely talented individuals - Barry Richards and Graeme Pol- lock. This one doesn't, but it compensates in a manner that would delight Ray Illingworth. The tourists have a formidable, craggy tail; Craig Matthews, the likely No 11 at Lord's, has a first- class century to his name. At Northampton against an attack devoid of the rested Curtly Am- brose, Wessels played the one substantial innings of 70, but everyone else contributed something. Neither Liebenberg nor Gary Kirsten survived the first hour when batting was most taxing. Hansie Cronje, yet to live up to his considerable reputation on this tour, played two handsome square-cuts but then edged to the keeper. At the moment he appears to be moving on to the front foot prematurely, which means he is prone to prod at wide deliveries. Peter Kirsten, a more workmanlike player in his dotage than is fondly remembered at Derby, hooked tamely at Taylor. But, of course, Wessels appeared unmoved by these setbacks. After his usual watchful start, he was punching any wayward deliveries to the boundary with absolute certainty. In all, he hit 13 fours be- fore he surprised everyone by gently pulling a short ball from Penberthy to Felton at square-leg. Wessels has not failed in a first-class match on this tour but has yet to score a century; he will be in a more ruthless frame of mind on Thursday. Brian McMillan contributed a sturdy half-century but Jonty Rhodes played the only skittish innings of the day. He favours the on- side, but his eye and his footwork are so sharp that he was able to pull deliveries that were only fractionally short of a length. He was the one batsman to quicken the pulse of the spectators yesterday as the tourists consolidated in late afternoon. But that is not South Africa's goal; they are not here to enchant and entertain around the shires, but to win the Test series. (Extracted from an artcile by Vic Marks in The Observer) Contributed by Vicky (VIGNESWA@*umass.edu)