Cricket: May ready to slow South African march

ALLAN BORDER brandished his whip yesterday, exhorting Australia to adopt a more mature approach to the second Test against South Africa, beginning in Cape Town today.

Border contended that wandering minds were the cause of last week's 197-run defeat at the Wanderers in Johannesburg, the opening instalment of the three-Test series. 'We haven't been as sensible as we should be,' the Australian captain said, referring partly to the needless run-outs of himself and Mark Waugh. 'We are giving 100 per cent but not playing to our 100 per cent potential.'

The only confident prediction about the Test wicket, according to Border, is that it will be 'fairly dry', though South Africa's inclusion of Tim Shaw, a 34-year-old slow left-armer, in their 13-man squad suggests a degree of turn may be on offer. Australia are likely to counter with Tim May as well as Shane Warne, although their coach, Bobby Simpson, pointed out that his in-form seamers, Paul Reiffel and Glenn McGrath, presented 'a couple of options'.

One change is certain, namely the return of vice-captain Mark Taylor, who missed the first Test with flu, in place of Matthew Hayden, who broke a thumb while deputising.