JOHANNESBURG, South Africa (CMC) — West Indies dramatically snatched five wickets — two to Kyle Mayers in the closing overs — in a stirring comeback after tea to turn around their fortunes against hosts South Africa in the second Test on Wednesday.
Left-arm spinner Gudakesh Motie was the most successful bowler for the Caribbean side, but Mayers struck twice in the span of three balls in successive overs a little before the close, and the South Africans ended the opening day of the contest on 311 for seven.
For the second successive Test, the West Indies bowlers were untidy in the first two sessions, and the Proteas, led by Aiden Markram and left-handed rookie Tony de Zorzi, rattled along at four runs an over and were comfortably placed on 247 for two at tea.
Once Jason Holder got South Africa Captain Temba Bavuma lbw for 28, offering no stroke to a delivery that moved back in the third over after the break, the fragility of the home team's middle-order batting was again exposed.
West Indies wicketkeeper Joshua Da Silva celebrates the dismissal of South Africa opener Aiden Markram on the first day of the second Test on Wednesday at the Wanderers in Johannesburg, South Africa.
Motie, returning to the side after a lower back injury sidelined him for the first Test, ended the day with three for 75 from 19 overs, including the prized scalps of Markram for the top score of 96 and de Zorzi, playing in his second Test for a resolute 85.
But Mayers tilted the balance when he bowled Wiaan Mulder for 12 with a sharp inswinger in the third to last over and got Simon Harmer caught behind for one, edging a well-pitched leg cutter in the final over to finish the day with two for 24 from 7.2 overs.
Scoreboard
SOUTH AFRICA 1st Innings
D Elgar c Chase b Motie 42
A Markram c Blackwood b Motie 96
T de Zorzi b Motie 85
*T. Bavuma lbw b Holder 28
R Rickelton c wk Da Silva b Joseph 22
+H Klaasen not out 17
W Mulder b Mayers 12
S Harmer c wk Da Silva b Mayers 1
Extras (lb5, nb3) 8
TOTAL (7 wkts, 89.2 overs) 311
K Maharaj, K Rabada, G Coetzee to bat.
Fall of wickets: 1-76, 2-192, 3-248, 4-278, 5-286, 6-309, 7-311.
Bowling: Roach 16-3-55-0 (nb2); Joseph 17-2-59-1; Mayers 7.2-0-24-2; Holder 16-5-39-1 (nb1); Motie 19-3-75-3; Chase 14-2-54-0.
WEST INDIES: *K Brathwaite, T Chanderpaul, R Reifer, J Blackwood, K Mayers, R Chase, +J Da Silva, J Holder, A Joseph, K Roach, G Motie.
Toss: South Africa.
Umpires: Marais Erasmus, Paul Reiffel (Australia).
TV umpire: Kumar Dharmasena (Sri Lanka).
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