TEST result is crucial says Cronje - Peter Robinson

Hansie Cronje accepts  that  the  success  or  failure  of  South
Africa`s  brief tour to New Zealand will be judged on the outcome
of the one-off test which starts at Eden Park on Saturday.    "We
came over here specifically to do well in the one-day tournament,
which we didn`t," he said yesterday after the South Africans  had
wrapped  up  an  eight-  wicket victory over an Academy XI.  "Now
there`s only the test left for us.  This is obviously one of  the
highlights  of New Zealand`s centenary season and they`ll be keen
to do well.  But so will we." The South Africans leave Nelson to-
day  to  travel to Auckland to put the finishing touches to their
test preparations.  They will have  mixed  feelings  about  their
stay  in this friendly and relaxed resort.  The Academy side were
disposed of without too much difficulty, with Allan Donald, Craig
Matthews  and  Steven  Jack  all  bowling impressively, but their
batsmen didn`t quite get the time at the crease they would   have
liked.  "I was pleased that Andrew Hudson got some runs today and
Rudi Steyn and Daryll Cullinan scored in the first  innings,   so
that means three of the top five got runs," he said.  But the two
who did not were himself and Jonty Rhodes who will both  go  into
the  test  match  with generally unexceptional tours behind them.
Neither was South Africa`s slip catching particularly  impressive
in   this  match  as Cronje  conceded, with several chances being
missed..  Jack`s seven-wicket haul in the match and the  lack  of
opportunities  for the spinners here will make, as Cronje conced-
ed, picking the right combination for bowlers for the test a dif-
ficult  choice.  He did confirm, however, that South Africa would
field a spinner.

 Contributed by Tony.Hassett (hasett@scinet.up.ac.za)