SYDNEY, Dec 31: South African cricket captain Kepler Wessels, to bat through the ' pain barrier with a chronic right knee injury in second Test against Australia starting on Sunday, is more fearful of facing spin than pace, reports Reuter.

■ He struck an unbeaten 63 this week, coping well with pacemen Craig McDermott and Paul Reiffel in the rain-hit draw in Melbourne,', the first Test against Australia in 23 years.

Wessels is hoping the mangled knee, already subjected to several operations, will stand the strain of the second Test in Sydney, after which he will consider further surgery.

"I want to play in Sydney and get through the game," said 36-year-old Wessels.

Running between the wickets and fielding are problems enough but-it Is y6ung super-star leg-spinner Shane Warne that weighs mgst on the mined of Wessels.

Wessels said Warne, whom he faced for the first time in Melbourne, was as good as any bowler he had faced in a 20-year first class career.

"In my career, most of-my challenges have been fast bowlers up around my ears," said Wessels. "This (Warne) is a different problem but every bit as taxing."

Despite Wessels' caution about and fellow spinner Tim May. there is a resurgence of optimism in the South African camp the he. may not turn out to be as troublesome as feared.

Allrounder Brian McMillan summer up the mood.

He is set to return to the side after spending last month recovering from surgery on his left knee, injured in a match against Victoria in Melbourne in early December.

McMillan said the first Test effort against Warne had given the side a huge lift and he felt too many people had made the mistake of thinking Warne would win the series.

"1 thought our performance in the Melbourne Test was pretty good,” McMillan said.

South Africa’s first Test score of 258 for three in reply to 342 for seven declared was better than expected.

Andrew Hudson hit 64 and Hansie Cronje 71. Ace fieldsman Jonty Rhodes struck an unbeaten 35. all coped well with Warne and May.

"A lot of people had written us off on the evidence of a couple of warm-up games. It was Just a matter of tithe until our b,liters came right and now they’ve had a good bat. it's going to be pretty interesting.

'These two (Warne and May) are good spinners but they have to prove their worth against us. Shane Warne is obviously a top bowler and we have to watch him.'but that applies to any bowler at international level," said McMillan.

Both teams played gold on Friday and will settle on final lie-ups after trairting on Saturday.

McMillan, who bowled in the nets this week, said on Friday he was a strong chance to regain his Test place if the knee came through a big workout on’ Saturday.

The leg is strong and it's in my favour to play. I don't think

I can do any damage structurally and It's just a matter of whether there is any swelling," he said.

A glut of injuries in December threatened South Africa's hopes of winning the series against Australia.

Fast bowler Brett Schultz was ruled out of the tour with knee problems, there is Wessels' knee problem and top fields man Jonty Rhodes is playing with a broken hand.

McMillan is also the side's best slip fieldsman; Daryll Cullinan dropped four catches at second slip in Melbourne.

But Australian skipper Allan Border has adopted a tough stance towards Wessels, lynch pin of his side despite the bad knee, and in Sydney will abandon the traditional agreement that permits substitutes and runners for disabled players.

Under law 2.1 of the game, a substitute can be disallowed for any player who enters a match with a known injury.

Border said he wanted to see Wessels initially in the field or his team left with 10 men.

"It's not the way I like to play. He can stand at slip can't he?

"We know what the situation is with his knee and we'll wait and see if it happens again." said Border.

Australia has made no chance to the first Test 12-man squad:

Allan Border (captain). Mark Taylor, Michael Slatter. David Boon. Ian Healy. Mark-Waugh, Craig McDermott. Shane Warne. Tim May. Glenn McGrath. Paul Reifel, Damien Martyn.

South Africa has yet to announce its squad.