Another bittersweet end to Day 2 for the Proteas, with Anrich Nortje’s five-for helping South Africa dismiss the West Indies for 212, but a flurry of wickets in the last half-hour saw the hosts end the day on 49-4 with a lead of 179 runs. | ✍️ Khalid Mohidin from Centurion.
It was a frustrating start to the day for the Proteas bowlers. Despite striking early through Kagiso Rabada, who clipped the off stump of Windies captain Kraigg Brathwaite, they struggled to find the luck they needed.
Anrich Nortje and debutant Gerald Coetzee broke the West Indies’ partnerships periodically. Coetzee’s maiden Test wicket was that of Tagenarine Chanderpaul, and Nortje dismissed Jermaine Blackwood for a 73-ball 37. They managed to reduce WI to 122-3 after 38.3 overs.
The Proteas stuck to their lines outside off stump, but there were plenty of balls that breezed past the outside edge, some missing it marginally.
Raymon Reifer scored 62, facing 143 deliveries, proving just how disciplined the West Indies batters were, not allowing dot balls to bother them.
The innings swung back into South Africa’s favour however, Marco Jansen finding Reifer’s chase on the last ball of the 57th over, and then Rabada struck the following delivery finding the edge of Roston Chase.
Nortje was brought back into the attack in the 60th over and he struck off his first ball, Joshua da Silva guiding the ball to point. Windies were reduced to 179-6.
Holder was the next to go, for Nortje’s second in the over, Jason Holder was squared up and edged the ball to Aiden Markram in the slips – WI 179-7.
Nortje was on fire, he took another wicket to knock WI down 8 for 190 runs, Alzarri Joseph attempted a back-foot punch which was taken at point again.
Kyle Mayers went on the attack, he scored a couple of boundaries to take himself to 18 off 22 balls, but Nortje took his 4th five-wicket haul by dismissing Mayers, who picked out Jansen at deep fine with a pull shot. WI was reduced to 202-9.
Coetzee took the final wicket trapping Shannon Gabriel lbw to skittle the West Indies out for 212, trailing the Proteas by 130.
South Africa took 7 wickets for 76 in 20 overs.
The Proteas lost four wickets in the last half-hour of play, 11 wickets falling in the final session.
Dean Elgar got a carbon copy dismissal to the first innings, trying once again to ramp Alzarri Joseph and picking out the fielder on the boundary at deep third. Poor dismissal again by the former Proteas skipper. SA was 31-1 after 4 overs.
De Zorzi was next to fall for a duck, Kemar Roach tickling his edge to reduce SA to 33-2.
Bavuma was dismissed for a pair in the match. Similarly to De Zorzi, the ball kissed his outside edge, Joseph, this time the wicket-taker. He is now the 25th player to bag a pair as captain, with AB de Villiers and Faf du Plessis also on the list.
SA was reduced to 34-3.
Keegan Petersen was the next to fall, raising the question as to why a nightwatchman was not introduced after the first dismissal, as stumps was called with SA on 49-4 with a lead of 179.
An intense bowling performance by the Windies.
Aiden Markram, however, started off his second innings quickly. He hit 6 fours and ended the day on 35 off 33 deliveries.
There were 16 wickets that fell on Day 2.
Anrich Nortje said a the close of play that he believes that 250-plus would do the trick for a Proteas win.
