JOHANNESBURG, South Africa (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 100 to give his side a commanding lead in the second Test on Friday.

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.

Hosts South Africa Captain Temba Bavuma collected his second Test hundred and put his side in command against West Indies on the third day of the second Test at Wanderers in Johannesburg.

After the interval the visitors found wickets hard to come by, 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 single-handedly 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 reasoned that 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.

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 passed 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 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 midwicket 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’ plan to work themselves into a match-winning position evaporated when Wiaan Mulder joined Bavuma as 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 even fewer 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 midwicket for 42, and South Africa were 206 for six, leading by 275.

Scoreboard

SOUTH AFRICA 1st Innings 320

WEST INDIES 1st Innings 251

SOUTH AFRICA 2nd Innings (overnight 4-0)

A Markram c wk Da Silva b Roach 18

D Elgar c Chase b Mayers 5

T de Zorzi b Mayers 1

*T Bavuma not out 171

R Rickelton c wk Da Silva b Reifer 10

+H Klaasen c wk Da Silva b Joseph 14

W Mulder c Chanderpaul b Joseph 42

S Harmer lbw b Holder 19

K. Maharaj not out 3

Extras (nb4) 4

TOTAL (7 wkts, 93 overs) 287

Fall of wickets: 1-6, 2-8, 3-32, 4-69, 5-103, 6-206, 7-277.

Bowling: Roach 14-2-54-1; Joseph 14-1-49-2 (nb1); Holder 16-2-35-1 (nb1); Mayers 13-5-25-2 (nb1); Reifer 11-0-36-1 (nb1); Motie 10-1-40-0; Chase 14-1-45-0; Blackwood 1-0-3-0

Position: South Africa lead by 356 with three second-innings wickets standing.

Umpires: Marais Erasmus, Paul Reiffel (Australia)

TV umpire: Kumar Dharmasena (Sri Lanka)

Match referee: Ranjan Madugalle (Sri Lanka)