When South Africa announced Temba Bavuma as their new Test skipper, it was a historic moment as he was the first black Test skipper for the country. He was chosen after his side's 2-0 series loss to Australia meant the end of Dean Elgar's tenure as the skipper, but what should have been a pleasant memory was not meant to be
Bavuma was one of two South African batters to be dismissed for a duck during the final session of the first Test in Centurion on Wednesday, March 1, while Bavuma also suffered the ignominy of becoming the first Proteas batter to lose both his wickets in a Test match without any runs on the board.
South Africa vs West Indies, Day 1 report
In total, he faced three balls in the whole game, after he was sent back for a duck when Alzarri Joseph caught Bavuma LBW for a duck on the second ball that he faced. The same pacer got him once again when the ball caught the outside edge of Bavuma's bat and went straight to wicketkeeper Joshua Da Silva.
It was the third wicket taken by the West Indian bowlers, who ensured that they went into the day's break with South Africa reeling at 49/4. This was after the Windies were bowled out for 212 while chasing the Protea's first innings score of 342.
The hero with the ball for the Proteas was Anrich Nortje, who bagged a brilliant fifer to keep the visitor to a subpar score after their bright start.
After skipper Kraigg Brathwaite (11) and Tagenarine Chanderpaul (22) were sent to the pavilion, Raymon Reifer (62) kept up the tempo, helping his side put up 65 between lunch and tea. Nortje then entered the action when he removed Jermaine Blackwood (37), who managed a respectable stand of 64 with Raymond.
The lanky pacer also bagged the wicket of Reifer in a similar fashion, to leave the West Indians on 169-4. He then took another three wickets — Jason Holder (0), Alzarri (4) and Kyle Mayers (18), after which Gerald Coetzee wrapped up the innings for 212 runs with his only wicket — that of Shannon Gabriel.
Earlier, Alzarri completed a fifer as well, ending South Africa's first innings when dealing with Gerald Coetzee (17) – caught easily by Jason Holder – and Nortje (14) to complete his maiden five-for, owing thanks to Tagenarine Chanderpaul for getting under the latter's slice.
There was also a milestone for Jason Holder, who, when he grabbed the wicket of Keegan Petersen at the end of the day, reached 150 Test wickets. He became only the second West Indian to achieve 150 wickets and 2,500 runs in Test cricket, after Sir Gabriel Sobers.
(With Opta Inputs)
