It was a bittersweet Day 1 for the Proteas in the 1st Test against the Windies as they posted 314-8, after Aiden Markram’s century gave the hosts a solid start. | ✍️ Khalid Mohidin from Centurion.
It all started off with a solid 1st session, with the hosts scoring 99-0 by the break.
ALSO READ: PROTEAS OPENERS COMPOSED | 1ST TEST DAY 1 | LUNCH REPORT | SA VS WI
After the lunch break, the Windies seamers started to find a little more movement and pace, particularly through Jason Holder. Despite this, Markram saw off a couple of scares to reach his 10th half-century off 90 balls.
South Africa continued to pile on the runs and frustrate the Windies. Elgar started to open up. After finding success with a ramp shot a couple of balls prior, Windies placed a fielder to prevent a repeat of the same shot. Elgar fell for the trap and hit Alzarri Joseph straight to Blackwood covering that region. A silly shot considering the fielding change.
The partnership was ended, and the Proteas lost their first wicket with 141 on the board.
Markram and debutant Tony de Zorzi brought up 150 for the hosts halfway through the 39th over and then 155 at the 40-over mark.
The new pair brought up their 50-run stand in 76 balls, De Zorzi contributing 19 and Markram 27 to their partnership. The 200-run mark was up next for the Proteas, which they brought up with a ball left in the 52nd over.
Markram was once again just shy of his milestone when the teams went into Tea. SA ended the session on 206-1 after 53 overs.
After the break, Markram hit a beautiful cover drive to reach his 6th century removing any doubt about his ability at the top of the order.
The Proteas opener spent 248 minutes at the crease and faced 154 balls which included 17 fours.
This brought a 23-match century drought to an end – his last ton being 152 against Australia on 30 March 2018.
A couple of quick wickets gave the Windies a foothold in the match, starting with De Zorzi’s run-out, followed by a Temba Bavuma duck.
Heinrich Klaasen and Keegan Petersen took the pressure off the hosts slightly, bringing up 250.
The wicket-keeper batter tried the aggressive approach, scoring at a strike rate of 90.90, before finding Joseph at mid-on with an unnecessary pull shot, Shannon Gabriel picking up his first wicket.
Senuran Muthusamy (3) was the next to go, trapped lbw as the Proteas collapsed to 271-6 after 70 overs.
Petersen scored 14 helping SA to 290, but he walked across his stumps and was trapped lbw.
Kagiso Rabada (8) brought up 300 halfway through the 80th over, with a beautiful straight drive, but was dismissed by Kyle Mayers the following delivery.
Debutant Gerald Coetzee got off the mark with consecutive straight drives for four, taking SA to 308-8 after 80 overs.
Spinners were brought on because of bad light as the Umpires tried to get in a completed day’s play.
South Africa was the cause of their own downfall, giving away easy wickets in what was a terrible final session for the hosts, despite Jansen and Coetzee batting well to survive the close of play.
SA ended the day on 314-8.
