Brilliant Bavuma puts South Africa in charge of second Test

JOHANNESBURG: South African captain Temba Bavuma ended a long wait for a second Test century and took his team to a strong position on the third day of the second Test against the West Indies at the Wanderers Stadium in Johannesburg on Friday.

Bavuma made a battling, and at times punchy, 171 not out in a South African second innings total of 287 for seven, an overall lead of 356.

It was an emotional moment for Bavuma when he hit Alzarri Joseph over cover for his 14th boundary to reach his hundred, more than seven years after he made his first Test century.

He took off his helmet, leaped in the air and brandished his bat in a salute as a small crowd rose to give him a standing ovation.

The South African captain went on to play with freedom. After reaching three figures off 192 balls, he went on to 171 off 275 deliveries. He hit 20 fours.

Bavuma, 32, made his first hundred in his seventh Test and his eighth Test innings in a high-scoring draw against England at Newlands in Cape Town in January 2016.

Since then he had played in another 48 Tests and batted in 88 more innings without repeating the feat despite hitting 19 half-centuries.

South Africa’s most reliable batsman over the past two years, Bavuma was appointed captain before the first Test against the West Indies - and was out for a ´pair´.

Score Board

South Africa won the toss

South Africa first innings 320

West Indies first innings 251

South Africa, 2nd innings

Elgar c Chase b Mayers 5

Markram c Da Silva b Roach 18

de Zorzi b Mayers 1

Bavuma not out 171

Rickelton c Da Silva b Reifer 10

Klaasen c Da Silva b Joseph 14

Mulder c Chanderpaul b Joseph 42

Harmer lbw b Holder 19

Maharaj not out 3

Extras: (nb4) 4

Total: (7 wkts, 93 overs) 287

Fall of wickets: 1-6 (Elgar), 2-8 (De Zorzi), 3-32 (Markram), 4-69 (Rickelton), 5-103 (Klaasen), 6-206 (Mulder), 7-277 (Harmer)

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

Umpires: Marais Erasmus, Paul Reiffel