An attritional day of slow-moving test cricket with 78 from Tony de Zorzi and 86 from captain Temba Bavuma helped South Africa reach a total of 344-8 on the second day of the first test against the West Indies at the Queens Park Oval in Port of Spain, Trinidad, on Thursday.
South Africa added 107 runs in the elongated two-and-a-half hour morning session for the loss of two wickets and 92 runs in the afternoon session for another wicket before crawling to another 100 runs in the final session on a slow pitch which seems to be getting slower.
Wiaan Mulder (37*) was at the crease at the close of play having faced 76 balls in the company of Kagiso Rabada (12*) with the home side content on ‘managing’ the scoring rate in unhelpful bowling conditions and the tourists reluctant to force the pace.
De Zorzi scored a patient 78 to help the tourists reach 152-3 at lunch.
The left-handed opener moved from his overnight 32 with a series of dabs and late cuts before attempting a reverse sweep against left-arm spinner Jomel Warrican and gloving the delivery to Kavem Hodge at first slip having collected seven fours to add to the pair of legside sixes he struck in left-arm spinner Gudakesh Motie’s first over on the curtailed first day.
It was De Zorzi’s second test half century in his fifth match following his career-best 85, also against the West Indies, at Centurion in January.
His 78 came from 145 deliveries as he settled into his new role as an opener with no obvious discomfort.
Tristan Stubbs was the first man to depart in the morning session when canny, veteran seamer Kemar Roach (2-53) induced an outside edge, well caught at slip by Jason Holder, to earn his 271st test wicket.
Stubbs’s 20 was a subdued affair requiring 48 balls and containing just two boundaries.
David Bedingham looked in fine touch reaching 29 with three fours and a six before pulling a short ball from fast bowler Jayden Seales (2-57) to deep square leg where Keacy Carty hung onto a fine, low catch which needed to be ratified by the third umpire.
Ryan Rickelton’s uncharacteristically tetchy 19 from 49 balls ended when Roach trapped him lbw with the second ball, with a new ball, after tea, and Bavuma’s quest for a second test century – following his 172 against the same opposition at the Wanderers in January – ended when he missed an inswinging full toss from Seales and was lbw for a patient 86 from 182 balls with seven fours and a delightful, rasping off-driven six against Warrican.
Kyle Verreynne’s oddly stodgy innings of 39 from 87 balls ended with a return catch to Warrican and Keshav Maharaj (0) provided the bowler with an identical dismissal first delivery to leave him with impressive figures of 20-2-66-3.
Just 15 overs were possible on the rain-marred first day during which the tourists reached 45 for the loss of opener Aiden Markram (9).
WEST INDIES: Kraigg Brathwaite (captain), Mikyle Louis, Keacy Carty, Alick Athanaze, Kavem Hodge, Jason Holder, Joshua Da Silva (wkt), Gudakesh Motie, Jayden Seales, Kemar Roach, Jomel Warrican
SOUTH AFRICA: Aidan Markram, Tony de Zorzi, Tristan Stubbs, Temba Bavuma (captain), David Bedingham, Ryan Rickelton, Kyle Verreynne (wkt), Wiaan Mulder, Keshav Maharaj, Kagiso Rabada, Lungi Ngidi.