Lungi Ngidi completed a second career five-for as the West Indies were skittled for 97, while Aiden Markram’s 60 was the stand out performance with the bat as South Africa ended Day One on 128/4 with a lead of 31 runs.
It’s been a pulsating, eventful, and captivating battle of the bowling attacks on the opening day of the first Test between the West Indies and South Africa. Kraigg Brathwaite won the toss, and opted to bat first. Both teams welcomed newcomers: fast bowler Jayden Seales (WI), and batsmen Keegan Petersen and Kyle Verreynne (SA).
On a lively Gros Islet pitch, it was always going to be tricky for the batsmen to settle, and it wasn’t getting any easier as Kagiso Rabada and Lungi Ngidi bowled a testing first spell. While openers Kraigg Brathwaite and Shai Hope managed to make it through unscathed, the introduction of Anrich Nortje’s out-and-out pace ensured the openers would be sent back in consecutive overs.
The flurry of wickets set the tone for a domineering performance from the Proteas bowlers. Nortje’s momentum was soon backed up with wickets from Rabada and Ngidi, both of whom successfully helped tear through the Windies middle order with relative ease. Jason Holder top-scored for his side with 20, but it was a rather tame end to the innings, with Ngidi completing his 5-wicket haul, his second at Test level. The West Indies were bundled out for their lowest total against South Africa (97), and had a stiff task at hand coming up.
There couldn’t have been a better start for the home team, when Kemar Roach dismissed the Proteas skipper Dean Elgar, who edged one low to third slip. However, SA began to gradually rebuild, with a positive start from Petersen at No 3. Petersen looked fluent, but his promising cameo was cut short by an excellent delivery from Seales in his first over.
From that point onwards, Markram and van der Dussen built a steady partnership and saw off the quick bursts of tight bowling from the Windies pace unit so far. They added 79 together until Seales bowled another peach, which Markram nicked off to the keeper. Two overs later, Seales was back at it again, with Verreynne edging one-off as well with an attempted cut shot. Two wickets in quick succession have kept the Proteas’ progress in check, despite taking the lead.
It’s safe to say that the Proteas are in the driver’s seat at the moment, and will look to build on the momentum on Day 2. The Windies will aim to claim the remaining wickets quickly without giving away too many runs, and South Africa will need a strong partnership to increase the advantage. Van der Dussen and De Kock will be key.
WI 97 all out in 40.5 overs (Holder 20 – Ngidi 5/19, Nortje 4/35)
SA 128/4 in 43 overs, lead by 31 (Markram 60, Seales 3/34)
Photo: Muzi Ntombela/BackpagePix
