Top-order batters Aiden Markram and Tony de Zorzi scored magnificent half-centuries to help the Proteas to 311 for seven at the close of day one in the second Test against West Indies on Wednesday.

The Proteas were cruising at 247 for two at tea, but another middle-order batting collapse saw them lose five wickets for the addition of only 64 runs in the final session at the Wanderers.

Aiden Markram and Tony de Zorzi of the Proteas congratulate each other after reaching a 100-run partnership on day one of the second Test against the West Indies at the Wanderers in Johannesburg. (Photo: Lee Warren / Gallo Images)

The batting collapse brought the Windies back into the contest as the two teams headed into the sheds on an even footing.

Although all five of South Africa’s top-order batters scored more than 20 runs and contributed valiantly to the overnight total, each of their dismissals characterised the team’s inability to kick on from promising positions. 

Good start 

Openers Dean Elgar and Markram got the home side off to a strong start after captain Temba Bavuma won the toss and elected to bat first.

Opener Dean Elgar’s aggressive innings of 42 off only 54 deliveries, including seven fours, got the Proteas off to a solid enough start. (Photo: Lee Warren / Gallo Images)

West Indies started their bowling spell very much as they did in the first Test match — with very little intensity. 

The opening pair exploited this by putting on a solid partnership of 76 runs before Elgar threw his wicket away to a nothing delivery headed wide of leg stump by left-arm orthodox spinner Gudakesh Motie. 

Motie bowled several loose deliveries — coming back from injury and playing his first match of the series — which Elgar tried to capitalise on, but when attempting a sweep shot, the ball struck the top edge and lobbed up to be caught neatly by Roston Chase, fielding at short fine leg. 

Elgar’s aggressive innings of 42 off only 54 deliveries, including seven fours, still got the team off to a solid enough start. 

Markram, meanwhile, continued his form from the first Test — where he top-scored with 115 and 47 — striking a perfect balance between elegance and brute force as he brought up his 10th half-century in the format.

Markram was joined at the crease by De Zorzi, who was more circumspect in his approach.

The pair compiled runs neatly, putting on a 116-run partnership for the second wicket before Markram too, threw his wicket away just four runs short of what would have been his second consecutive century.

Tony de Zorzi of South Africa celebrates his half century. (Photo: Sydney Seshibedi / Gallo Images)

Having played with a straight bat throughout his innings, Markram shifted away from what worked for him by attempting to lap-sweep Motie.

The ball struck the bottom of his blade and was tidily pouched by Jermaine Blackwood who ran from slip to leg slip to take the catch. 

Suddenly Motie had been gifted two wickets without bowling particularly well.

Markram walloped 17 exquisite boundaries in his knock of 96, but there was a sense that if he hadn’t succumbed to a rash shot he could still have been piling on the runs on a good batting pitch.

Little resistance 

Skipper Bavuma — coming off a pair in the previous Test — was next up and although he fared better, it was another disappointing innings for the captain. 

Bavuma and De Zorzi were patient in compiling their 56-run partnership off 121 deliveries and successfully took the team to the tea break on 247 for the loss of two wickets.

But West Indies entered the field in the final session of the day with a spring in their step and suddenly began to find their lines and lengths on the docile wicket.

Bavuma fell just two overs after the break after sustained pressure from Jason Holder, who took the ball away from the diminutive batter for a couple of balls before trapping him LBW with one that jagged back. 

Bavuma, dismissed for 28, shouldered arms to the delivery. Replays showed that if he had played a shot he would not have been given out due to the ball striking him outside the line of off stump. Another wicket gifted to the Windies. 

De Zorzi, approaching a maiden Test century, then began to go into his shell.

He wasn’t helped by the tight bowling of the Windies, who offered very few scoring opportunities in the final session.

The pressure ultimately told when he was clean bowled by Motie, attempting a cover drive, missing, and allowing the ball to clip the off peg.

“I was disappointed not to get over the line [to a century]. I think I got a little bit too greedy with that particular ball. But at the end of the day I’m happy to contribute towards the score and toward the team,” De Zorzi said after the day’s play.

Nevertheless, it was a brilliant 85 runs off 155 balls by De Zorzi who struck 11 boundaries — most of which were neatly caressed through the covers. 

Another collapse

Ryan Rickelton, coming in at No 5, looked comfortable at the crease, but an inspired spell of fast bowling by Alzarri Joseph was his undoing as he wafted at a short, wide delivery. He was well caught behind by wicketkeeper Joshua da Silva for 22.

From there, medium-pacer Kyle Mayers got the second new ball to sing to his tune by clean bowling Wiaan Mulder with an in-dipper before a brilliant leg-cutter saw Simon Harmer head back to the sheds, caught behind by Da Silva.

Heinrich Klaasen was on the other end, doing his best to repel the rejuvenated Windies attack. 

“[The pitch] did change a little bit throughout the day. When Aiden and I started it was a bit soft, still a bit of moisture in the wicket, then after lunch, tea it started quickening up,” said De Zorzi.

“The nicks were carrying. I think it got a little bit harder under the sun [after tea].”

Klaasen will be joined at the crease by Keshav Maharaj on day two. The remaining South African batters will need to show the grit their middle order failed to display to get the home side to a daunting score. DM