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JOHANNESBURG - Jason Holder struck an undefeated 81, his 12th test 50 and his highest score against South Africa, as the West Indies battled to 251 all out – a deficit of 69 – on the second day of the second Betway test at the Wanderers in Johannesburg yesterday.

After looking down and dejected when their eighth wicket fell on 162, 158 runs behind, the West Indies received a welcome late boost from Holder who collaborated with Kemar Roach and Gudakesh Motie to add a further 89 runs to frustrate the South Africans.

His 10th wicket partnership of 58 in 83 balls with Motie, in fact, was the highest of the innings with the left-handed Motie looking very comfortable until he played an ambitious pull off Simon Harmer to top-edge a catch to Temba Bavuma at cover.

Batting at No.8, a position that some may think is too low for a batter of his calibre, Holder struck eight fours and four sixes in his 117-ball innings that began cautiously but grew increasingly aggressive as the wickets fell.

Holder was particularly hard on the South African spinners, Keshav Maharaj and Harmer, who went for a combined 140 runs on an excellent pitch for batting – easily the best of the series – that has yet to produce much turn, although there is bounce.

The ease with which Holder and Motie batted was a poor reflection on the West Indies’ top-order batters after their bowlers had done well at the start of the day to finish off the final three South African first-innings wickets for nine runs in just three overs.

Coetzee was the Proteas’ most successful bowler with 3-41 but once again it was Rabada who was the class act with 2-19 in 12 overs. There were concerns when the champion fast bowler left the field after tea with what appeared to be a niggle, but he returned to field soon afterwards.