A batting collapse saw the Proteas bowled out for 116 setting the West Indies 247 for victory on Day 3 of the 1st Test. | ✍️ Khalid Mohidin from Centurion.
Day 3 was all about runs and surviving till at least lunch until the real kick-on activates. The final 30 mins of Day 2, however, put the Proteas in a tough spot having lost 4 quick wickets.
Patience was required from the remaining Proteas batters, and the approach was good at the start of the morning session, with Heinrich Klaasen looking to knock the ball around and rotate the strike.
He never showed enough patience however, driving at a wide delivery he could have left and finding an edge to the WI keeper Joshua da Silva, contributing just 5 runs. SA was 57-5, exactly the start the Proteas did not want.
Markram got himself to 47 and then got a feather edge to the keeper off the bowling of Jason Holder. A horror second innings for the Proteas.
South Africa brought up the 200 in just under the 18-over mark, with the hosts’ all-rounders facing a difficult task to get them to the 250-plus lead that Anrich Nortje said would be enough at the close of Day 2.
Wickets continued to tumble, as SA were reduced to 80-8 with the dismissal of Senuran Muthusamy for a 36-ball 4.
It was now up to the bowlers to get as many runs as possible. Gerald Coetzee scored a handy 15-ball 20 (2 fours and a six), but he was dismissed by Kemar Roach for his fourth of the innings.
Kagiso Rabada and Anrich Nortje got stuck in with the aim to get the Proteas to “that” 250-run mark.
Roach had other plans, getting his 11th 5-wicket haul when he dismissed Nortje for 4.
South Africa was all out for 116 setting the visitors a target of 247.
Rabada got the wicket of the West Indies skipper Kraigg Brathwaite for a duck on the stroke of Lunch to get their defence off to the perfect start.
