Captain Temba Bavuma has put South Africa in the driving seat after day three of the second cricket Test against the West Indies at the Wanderers in Johannesburg. After a pair in his opening match as the Test skipper, Bavuma bounced back in some style.
He finished unbeaten on 171, his highest score in Test cricket, to help lift the Proteas’ total to 287 for the loss of seven wickets, with an epic lead of 356 runs.
South Africa resumed their second innings on their overnight total of four without loss, 73 runs to the good. But the morning session of day three belonged to the West Indies. Seamer Kyle Mayers made the breakthrough in his opening spell. He removed Dean Elgar for five and a few overs later he dismissed Tony de Zorzi for one.
Quick Kemar Roach accounted for the in-form Aiden Markram for 18, leaving the Proteas in some trouble at 32 for three. Captain Temba Bavuma and Ryan Rickleton steadied their innings with a 37-run fourth wicket stand.
The visitors, however, struck again on the stroke of lunch as Raymon Reifer scalped Rickleton for 10 and the Proteas limped to lunch on 69 for the loss of four wickets with a lead of 138 runs.
Bavuma, now partnering Henrich Klaasen, continued to dig in his heels after the break, notching up his 21st Test half-century with a boundary.
They took South Africa past the 100 mark but Klaasen departed soon after for 14. Bavuma then picked up the mantle with Wiaan Mulder. The pair put on a massive 103-run sixth wicket partnership, with the skipper going on to convert his 50 to a well-compiled century, his second in Test cricket, silencing his detractors after a pair in the opening match, in emphatic fashion.
Alzarri Joseph picked up his second wicket soon after, that of Mulder for a career-best 42. With Simon Harmer at the other end, Bavuma continued to dictate proceedings at the Bullring, this time notching up his maiden score of 150 plus in Test cricket.
He ended the day unbeaten on 171, with South Africa coasting on 287 for seven, with a huge lead of 356 runs.
