South Africa batters fail to convert starts as West Indies chip away on first day of 2nd Test
- Nasri Alexander
- 8 March 2023
South Africa's batters threw away some good starts as the West Indies kept chipping away with wickets on the opening day of the final Test at the Wanderers.
Opener Aiden Markram scored 96 while number three Tony de Zorzi struck 85 as the Proteas went to stumps on 311-7 after captain Temba Bavuma had won the toss and elected to bat first.
The home side though could be in much stronger position as all of the top-order did the hard work of getting in but were then undone on what looks a good batting surface.
Dean Elgar (42), Bavuma (28), Ryan Rickelton (22) and Wiaan Mulder (12) were the other wickets to fall on a day the Windies' bowlers kept their noses in the contest.
Markram and Elgar started positively, putting on 76 in 17 overs for the opening stand before the latter was out sweeping to left-arm spinner Gudakesh Motie.
De Zorzi came to the crease and added 116 with Markram with the two looking untroubled and setting their stall out for a big total.
Markram gave it away four runs short of making it back-to-back centuries in the series when he attempted an ill-advised sweep shot to give Motie his second scalp.
Left-handed batter De Zorzi went to his maiden half-century in his second Test and together with Bavuma put on 56 for the third wicket.
After copping a pair on his captaincy debut, Bavuma got himself in but was undone lbw to seamer Jason Holder without playing a shot.
The Carribean side were in the middle of the good period in the final session and Motie bowled De Zorzi and Rickelton was caught behind off fast bowler Alzarri Joseph.
Late in the day, seamer Kyle Mayers coaxed another two wickets when Mulder was clean bowled and Simon Harmer edged behind.
The home team will look to Heinrich Klaasen (17 not out) at the start of day two to get the total closer to the 350-run mark.
Motie finished the day with figures of 3-75 in 19 overs with the visitors fighting back well to take five wickets for just 64 runs in the final session.
