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West Indies tour of South Africa
Test Format
2nd Test
South Africa v West Indies
Wanderers Stadium
Johannesburg, South Africa
8-12 March 2023
South Africa will be looking to retain the Sir Vivian Richards Trophy when they face West Indies in the
second Test at the Wanderers, which gets underway on Wednesday, March 8.
The Proteas lead the two-match series 1-0 after winning the first Test by 87 runs inside three days at Centurion Park last week, with Aiden Markram named Player of the Match for his outstanding century in the first innings.
Markram produced a masterclass batting display at the top of the order before eventually being dismissed for 115 as the hosts posted 342. He and Dean Elgar (71) were involved in a 141-run stand for the first wicket and they were the only two batters to perform in the first innings.
Alzarri Joseph picked up his maiden five wicket haul to finish with figures of 5/81. The Windies could only muster 212 in reply as Raymon Reifer scored a solid 62 and Jermaine Blackwood chipped in with 37, although the lower order contributed just 19 runs between them.
Anrich Nortje did most of the damage at the tail-end to come away with figures of 5/36 - the third time he had taken five wickets in an innings.
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Leading by 130 runs, South Africa crumbled in the second innings as they managed just 116 runs. Markram once again top-scored with 47, while only Kagiso Rabada (10) and Gerald Coetzee (20) reached double figures. Kemar Roach shone with the ball and finished with figures of 5/47.
Needing 247 to win, the tourists similarly collapsed in their second innings as only Jermaine Blackwood (79) offered any resistance with the bat. Kagiso Rabada was the chief architect in their demise after accounting for six of the 10 wickets.
With Nortje ruled out of the second Test due to a groin issue, Rabada, Marco Jansen and Coetzee will be expected to share the load with the ball. Slow left-arm orthodox bowler Senuran Muthusamy could play a greater role at the Wanderers after being given just eight overs in Centurion.
Temba Bavuma got a pair on his debut as Test captain and he'll be targeting a massive improvement with the bat in Johannesburg.
Windies openers Kraigg Brathwaite and Tagenarine Chanderpaul will also be hoping to impose themselves at the top of the order in the second Test after they contributed just 22 runs for the first wicket in the first innings and zero in the second innings at Centurion Park.
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Bavuma admits the Proteas need to perform better at the crease after the struggled to get many partnerships going throughout the first Test.
"We did not get many partnerships. At the time Aiden was there, [Heinrich] Klaasen came in, for me 300 would have been very tough. The 250 lead eventually, proved to be a lot," he said when asked about what score would have been comfortable to defend.
"The bowlers need to rest, it was a big effort from them. The batters need to get together and have that game plan. We need to do better next time."
Brathwaite felt the Windies didn't stay at the crease long enough, especially in the first innings and insists they need to push on once they get settled in the middle.
"As a batting unit, only batting 100 overs in both the innings, that was a big loss. We should have batted at least 90 overs in the first innings," he said.
"With the bat, we weren't good enough. Today, the bowlers bowled SA out for under 120. As batters, we have to improve. We just have to come better in the next game.
"Mentally, when you get in, you have to be more clear, be more precise. We can't go practicing and change the technique. We got starts, but we did not get any hundreds, but we have to get starts and get some runs."
Head-to-Head (Tests)
Matches - 31
South Africa - 21
West Indies - 3
Draws - 7
Test Team Rankings
4 - South Africa
8 - West Indies
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