Bavuma’s unbeaten ton puts hosts in command
– 3rd day, 2nd Test
JOHANNESBURG, CMC – A day that started brightly for West Indies ended with them facing long-odds to avoid defeat after South Africa captain Temba Bavuma coolly and calmly collected a career-best, second Test hundred to give his side a commanding lead in the second Test on yesterday.
The Caribbean side had the South Africans on the ropes when Bavuma came to the crease in the fifth over on the third day at the Wanderers, but the diminutive batsman dominated them with an undefeated 171 to anchor his side to 287 for seven at the close for an overall lead of 356.
Kyle Mayers struck twice in the first half-hour and had South Africa reeling on eight for two when Bavuma arrived with a massive salvage operation needed.
West Indies continued to impose their will, and things got worse for the Proteas when Kemar Roach and left-arm pacer Raymon Reifer struck before lunch and had the hosts wobbling on 69 for four with a lead of only 138.
After the interval, the visitors found wickets hard to come, and Bavuma dictated terms to reach his hundred from 192 balls in the first hour after tea when he drove Alzarri Joseph over cover for the 12th of his 20 fours and almost singlehandedly restored the balance of power to his side.
Mayers ended the day with two for 25 from 13 overs, and Joseph bowled his heart out in reprising his role of pace spearhead to claim two for 49 from 14 overs.
West Indies captain Kraigg Brathwaite conceded Bavuma played “a good innings” and his side will have to restrict the Proteas first thing on the fourth day (Saturday) and produce a “special” performance with the bat over the last two days of the contest to win.
The Caribbean side trail 0-1 in the two-Test series after South Africa won the first Test that ended two Thursdays ago at Centurion Park in Pretoria by 87 runs.
“He left the ball extremely well,” Brathwaite told reporters about Bavuma after play. “I can’t fault the bowlers to be honest. I thought all the guys put in a big effort, but I think it was very good innings (from Bavuma).
“I think (chasing more than 300) is realistic for sure. The pitch is still a good one, and we have to do something great. It’s as simple as that. We have not scored 300 for the series, furthermore 300-plus, but we have got to do it.
“We have got to find ways as we have discussed before the start of this second Test, and we just have to support one another.”
Mayers got West Indies off to a lively start after South Africa resumed from their overnight total of four without loss, and he got left-handed opener Dean Elgar caught at gully for five with the fourth ball of the day.
The ambidextrous West Indies all-rounder followed up four overs later when he bowled another left-hander, Tony de Zorzi for one off the inside edge.
Roach got opener Aiden Markram caught behind for 18 on the stroke of the first hour before the South Africans had past 50, and Reifer got left-hander Ryan Rickleton caught behind for 10 in the final over before lunch to expose brittle South African batting.
After the interval, however, West Indies ran out of ideas when pitch conditions eased considerably and the ball lost its sheen, and Bavuma did not need a second invitation to indulge himself every time that the bowlers strayed off line or length.
The Caribbean side met resistance for close to an hour when Heinrich Klaasen came to the crease after the interval and carried the hosts past 100 in a fifth wicket stand of 34 with Bavuma, whose 50 came from 107 balls when he whipped Roach through mid-wicket for the sixth boundary.
Joseph got Klaasen for 14 caught by wicketkeeper Joshua Da Silva running almost 30 yards from behind the stumps to square leg with the Proteas on 103 for five and leading by 172.
West Indies plans to work themselves into a match-winning position evaporated when Wiaan Mulder joined Bavuma, and they took the sting out of the Caribbean side’s attack with a
sixth wicket stand of 103 that put a lead of 300 within reach.
Kraigg Brathwaite’s side had few questions for the pair when they carried their side to 145 for five at tea, and little more after the break before Bavuma reached his milestone.
Joseph eventually tempted Mulder into the sin of pulling at a short, rising ball and got him caught at deep mid-wicket for 42, and South Africa were 206 for six, leading by 275.
The match still hung in the balance at this stage, and West Indies may have had visions of rolling over the lower order batting of their opponents, like they did in the three previous innings of the series.
But the visitors could not make much headway, and the second new ball made little difference, and Bavuma laced into them to reach his 150 from 254 balls with a leg-side single off Mayers and put on 71 with Simon Harmer for the seventh wicket to deflate them further and carry the lead to 346.
Jason Holder returned for his
fourth spell of the day and broke the stand in the third over when he trapped Harmer lbw for 19 with a well-pitched delivery that
kept a bit low, but a day that started with much promise had already gone awry for West Indies.