Markram, De Zorzi boost Proteas but West Indies roar back

Aiden Markram and Tony de Zorzi struck big half-centuries for South Africa but the West Indies roared back into the game after tea to grab five wickets as the home team were pegged back to 311 for seven on the first day of the second Betway test at the Wanderers in Johannesburg on Wednesday.

Markram, currently in sublime form, played superbly for his 96 while the more gritty De Zorzi (85) struck his maiden test half-century as he underlined his spot as South Africa’s new No 3. For their part, the West Indies repeated their performance on the first day of the opening test at Centurion when they bowled poorly for two sessions before recovering their discipline.

At Centurion, South Africa were pegged back from 221 for one to 314 for eight at stumps. At the Wanderers, the Proteas were flying along at 192 for one with Markram just four runs off his century, before the West Indies bowlers recovered their poise to take five wickets for 64 runs in 27.2 overs after tea.

Jason Holder was the flagbearer for his team, bowling consistently well throughout the day to claim 1-39 in 16 overs. Left-arm spinner Gudakesh Motie was a little expensive, with his three wickets costing 75 runs while Kyle Myers struck two late blows for the visitors, bowling Wiaan Mulder with a brilliant inswinger and then having Simon Harmer caught behind with the final ball of the day.

The Proteas top-order batsmen star on day one ??

Gudakesh Motie is the pick of the bowers ?? pic.twitter.com/YTKSWQxoJI

— SuperSport ?? (@SuperSportTV) March 8, 2023

If South Africa felt some frustration that they couldn’t build on the foundations that Markram and De Zorzi set, they still have a solid total with Heinrich Klaasen still at the crease. The frustration for the tourists’ bowlers must be that they failed to learn their lesson from Centurion, waiting until the final session and a bit before clicking into gear.

South Africa began the day well with Temba Bavuma winning the toss on a dry, easy-paced pitch that promised much for the batsmen with the suggestion that spin would take hold later in the game with Keshav Maharaj and Harmer picked to exploit that eventuality.

Once again openers Markram and Dean Elgar profited from an undisciplined bowling effort by the West Indies as they were able to profit from the plentiful bad balls that were too short, too full or too wide.

Markram looked in excellent form after his morale-boosting hundred in Centurion, while Elgar put away his ill-chosen ramp shots and pulled the short balls square or even forward of square. The pair added 76 before Elgar, sweeping at Motie in the 18th over, got a leading edge to offer a low catch to Roston Chase at backward square leg. The former South African captain had struck seven fours in his brisker-than-usual 42 in 54 balls.

De Zorzi joined Markram and the pair took South Africa to 133 at lunch with Markram playing a succession of superb shots through the covers off the front and back feet.

Markram emerged from lunch in an even more positive mood as the pair maintained their rate of more than four runs to the over. He had struck 17 commanding boundaries in his innings and was on the cusp of a century when, out of the blue, he tried an exotic option to reach three figures, paddling a delivery from Motie. But instead of glory, the right-hander only succeeded in toe-ending the ball straight up in the air where Jermaine Blackwood, running from slip to leg slip, juggled but finally clutched onto the simple catch.

South Africa enjoyed a good day with the bat after opting to bat first, but the visitors have made some late inroads ??

More from day 1 of the second #SAvWI Test ??https://t.co/tZcxqMRcG2

— ICC (@ICC) March 8, 2023

Markram, shaking his head in disgust at his error, duly departed the scene. Still, his fine 96 had come in 139 balls and his second-wicket partnership of 116 with De Zorzi seemed to have laid the foundations for a big first-innings total.

De Zorzi, after a disappointing start to his test career at Centurion that included a preventable run-out and a first-ball duck, looked far more comfortable this time around. His cover drives were particularly good but so was his focus as he reached tea on 75 in 124 balls (10x4s).

The West Indies fightback had begun just before tea which South Africa took on 247 for two. Both De Zorzi and Bavuma became increasingly subdued and the first overs after the break continued in the same manner. Something had to give and it was Holder who made the breakthrough angling one back at Bavuma (28) who failed to play a shot and was leg before.

As De Zorzi (85 in 155 balls) neared his hundred he became becalmed and was eventually beaten through the air by a fine flighted delivery from Motie that took out his off-stump. Rickelton had played brightly for his 22 but he was tempted once too often outside the off-stump by Azarri Joseph, edging a catch to wicketkeeper Joshua da Silva.

The recovery of the West Indies was then completed by Mayers who bowled Wiaan Mulder through the gate before finding the edge of Harmer’s bat. Klaasen, unbeaten on 17, will hope for some assistance from the tail on Thursday to push the team’s total towards the 350-mark.

The tourists should be commended for their over rate, bowling 15 overs to the hour, a rare experience for spectators in test matches these days.

South Africa: Dean Elgar, Aiden Markram, Tony de Zorzi, Temba Bavuma (capt), Ryan Rickelton, Heinrich Klaasen (wk), Wiaan Mulder, Simon Harmer, Keshav Maharaj, Gerald Coetzee, Kagiso Rabada.

West Indies: Kraigg Brathwaite (capt), Tagenarine Chanderpaul, Raymon Reifer, Jermaine Blackwood, Roston Chase, Kyle Myers, Joshua da Silva (wk), Jason Holder, Alzarri Joseph, Gudakesh Motie, Kemar Roach