JOHANNESBURG: Former captain Jason Holder lifted struggling West Indies and frustrated South Africa with an 81 innings not knocked out on day two of the second Test at Johannesburg’s Wanderers Stadium on Thursday.
Thanks in large part to Holder, the West Indies scored 251 runs in their opening innings. They were trailing by 69 points, but it looked much worse before Holder played a sparkling inning.
South Africa faced three overs at the end of the day, scoring four unbeaten runs to extend their lead to 73 points.
While none of his teammates could score freely – and none managed more than Kyle Mayer‘ battling 29 from 83 balls – the starting big seemed in control from the start of his innings.
Beating at number eight, he came in with the struggling West Indies at 116 for six in response to South Africa’s 320.
Holder and Joshua Da Silva (26) started the recovery by putting 41 for the seventh wicket.
The comeback accelerated as the last two batsmen, Kemar Roach (13) and Gudakesh Motie (17) helped Holder add 89 runs for the last two wickets.
The partnership at the 10th wicket of 58 with Motie was the highest of the innings.
Holder hit four sixes and eight fours in an inning of 117.
Until Holder started playing his shots, none of the West Indies batsmen could break the shackles of a disciplined South African bowling attack.
Gerald Coetzee, playing in his second Test, took three for 41 and fellow fast bowler Kagiso Rabada took two for 19. Rabada sent just 12 overs and did not play after tea.
On a pitch that is expected to rotate later in the game, spinners Simon Harmer and Keshav Maharaj threw 38.3 overs combined but could only take three wickets while conceding 140 runs.
The day started well for the West Indies as they took all three of South Africa’s remaining wickets in the first three overs of the day.
But the West Indian innings got off to a bad start when Tagenarine Chanderpaul was chased down for one by a direct hit from the South African captain’s cover. Temba Bavuma.
The Tourists dropped to 51 for four before Roston Chase (28) and Mayers put in a patient 52 for the fifth wicket.
Thanks in large part to Holder, the West Indies scored 251 runs in their opening innings. They were trailing by 69 points, but it looked much worse before Holder played a sparkling inning.
South Africa faced three overs at the end of the day, scoring four unbeaten runs to extend their lead to 73 points.
While none of his teammates could score freely – and none managed more than Kyle Mayer‘ battling 29 from 83 balls – the starting big seemed in control from the start of his innings.
Beating at number eight, he came in with the struggling West Indies at 116 for six in response to South Africa’s 320.
Holder and Joshua Da Silva (26) started the recovery by putting 41 for the seventh wicket.
The comeback accelerated as the last two batsmen, Kemar Roach (13) and Gudakesh Motie (17) helped Holder add 89 runs for the last two wickets.
The partnership at the 10th wicket of 58 with Motie was the highest of the innings.
Holder hit four sixes and eight fours in an inning of 117.
Until Holder started playing his shots, none of the West Indies batsmen could break the shackles of a disciplined South African bowling attack.
Gerald Coetzee, playing in his second Test, took three for 41 and fellow fast bowler Kagiso Rabada took two for 19. Rabada sent just 12 overs and did not play after tea.
On a pitch that is expected to rotate later in the game, spinners Simon Harmer and Keshav Maharaj threw 38.3 overs combined but could only take three wickets while conceding 140 runs.
The day started well for the West Indies as they took all three of South Africa’s remaining wickets in the first three overs of the day.
But the West Indian innings got off to a bad start when Tagenarine Chanderpaul was chased down for one by a direct hit from the South African captain’s cover. Temba Bavuma.
The Tourists dropped to 51 for four before Roston Chase (28) and Mayers put in a patient 52 for the fifth wicket.
