Johannesburg — For a few intoxicating moments yesterday South Africa had the West Indies on the run.
Dean Elgar was playing like a man who had the weight of the world’s problems taken off his shoulders, Aiden Markram looked the world-class batter we all knew he would eventually become, and there was a new rising star Tony de Zorzi making it look all so simple in just his second Test.
SEE ALSO: Aiden Markram falls, but Tony de Zorzi piles on the runs for Proteas at the Wanderers
Elgar was, of course, the first to depart in the morning for arguably his most fluid 42 (54 balls, 7×4) of his Test career, before Markram (96) and De Zorzi (85) left centuries out on the Wanderers turf.
But there was more to come. With the first day drawing to a close, the home team lost three further wickets in the final 10 overs to keep the door ajar for the West Indies as SA finished on 311/7.
It is another total over 300 that SA can feel they have taken a further step in the redevelopment of this Test team, but at 248/2 they would have hoped for so much more.
SEE ALSO: Proteas power to 133/1 at lunch as Windies put to the sword
At one stage the run-rate was pushing at five runs to the over before eventually dripping down to 3.5 per over, with West Indies spinner Gudakesh Motie, in particular, getting among the Proteas’ batting line-up.
Motie’s 3/75 has already vindicated the Proteas’ decision to select two specialist spinners as the Wanderers surface has offered precious little to the seam bowlers.
It is a credit, therefore, to Jason Holder for maintaining his discipline on a tough day and the former West Indies skipper fully deserved the scalp of Proteas captain Temba Bavuma, who was adjudged LBW for not playing a shot. Bavuma departed for 28.
SEE ALSO: Temba Bavuma wins toss and bats as two Proteas spinners wait their turn
Kyle Mayers deserves even greater credit as he found some form of assistance with the second new ball to dismiss Wiaan Mulder (12) and then Simon Harmer (1) with the very last ball of the day to help the West Indies sleep just a little bit better.
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