South Africa vs West Indies, 2nd Test, Day 3: Bavuma takes control of 2nd Test

South African captain Temba Bavuma ended a long wait for a second Test century and took his team to a strong position on the third day of the second Test against the West Indies at the Wanderers Stadium in Johannesburg on Friday.

Match Summary

South Africa vs West Indies, 2nd Test, Day 3

South Africa 320/10 (92.3 ov) & *287/7 (93 ov)

West Indies 251/10 (79.3 ov)

Stumps: Day 3 South Africa lead by 356 runs.

SCORECARD

Bavuma made a battling, and at times punchy, 171 not out in a South African second innings total of 287 for seven, an overall lead of 356.

It was an emotional moment for Bavuma when he hit Alzarri Joseph over cover for his 14th boundary to reach his hundred, more than seven years after he made his first Test century.

He took off his helmet, leaped in the air and brandished his bat in a salute as a small crowd rose to give him a standing ovation.

The South African captain went on to play with freedom. After reaching three figures off 192 balls, he went on to 171 off 275 deliveries. He hit 20 fours.

Bavuma, 32, made his first hundred in his seventh Test and his eighth Test innings in a high-scoring draw against England at Newlands in Cape Town in January 2016.

Since then he had played in another 48 Tests and batted in 88 more innings without repeating the feat despite hitting 19 half-centuries.

South Africa’s most reliable batsman over the past two years, Bavuma was appointed captain before the first Test against the West Indies – and was out for a ‘pair’.

He came in on Friday with his team in trouble at eight for two.

It was a long struggle as he accumulated a 107-ball half-century while partners struggled and succumbed against good-quality West Indian bowling.

They were 103 for five, a precarious 172 runs ahead, when Bavuma was joined by Wiaan Mulder, one of several South African batsmen yet to prove themselves at top level.

Match Stats

South Africa 1st Innings Fall of wickets: 1-76 (Dean Elgar - 17.3 ov), 2-192 (Aiden Markram - 44.3 ov), 3-248 (Temba Bavuma - 64.4 ov), 4-278 (Tony de Zorzi - 75.2 ov), 5-286 (Ryan Rickelton - 78.1 ov), 6-309 (Wiaan Mulder - 87.6 ov), 7-311 (Simon Harmer - 89.2 ov), 8-312 (Heinrich Klaasen - 89.5 ov), 9-312 (Keshav Maharaj - 90.6 ov), 10-320 (Gerald Coetzee - 92.3 ov)

West Indies 1st Innings Fall of wickets: 1-1 (Tagenarine Chanderpaul - 3.2 ov), 2-22 (Kraigg Brathwaite - 10.4 ov), 3-28 (Jermaine Blackwood - 12.2 ov), 4-51 (Raymon Reifer - 16.3 ov), 5-103 (Roston Chase - 31.5 ov), 6-116 (Kyle Mayers - 41.1 ov), 7-157 (Joshua Da Silva - 57.2 ov), 8-162 (Alzarri Joseph - 58.6 ov), 9-193 (Kemar Roach - 65.4 ov), 10-251 (Gudakesh Motie - 79.3 ov)

South Africa 2nd Innings Fall of wickets: 1-6 (Dean Elgar - 3.4 ov), 2-8 (Tony de Zorzi - 7.1 ov), 3-32 (Aiden Markram - 16.6 ov), 4-69 (Ryan Rickelton - 29.4 ov), 5-103 (Heinrich Klaasen - 42.3 ov), 6-206 (Wiaan Mulder - 68.6 ov), 7-277 (Simon Harmer - 90.2 ov)

Playing XI

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

West Indies: Kraigg Brathwaite(C), Tagenarine Chanderpaul, Raymon Reifer, Jermaine Blackwood, Roston Chase, Kyle Mayers, Joshua Da Silva(WK), Jason Holder, Alzarri Joseph, Kemar Roach, Gudakesh Motie

Match Details

Date: 2023-03-08 08:00:00

Venue: The Wanderers Stadium, Johannesburg

Toss: South Africa elected to bat