2nd Test: South Africa on top against West Indies – Times of India

NEW DELHI: South Africa took control of the second Test against the West Indies at Providence, Guyana, on Friday thanks to half-centuries by Aiden Markram at the beginning of the innings and Kyle Verreynne near the close of play.
The Proteas had a lead of 239 runs at stumps on the second day, with their second innings at 223 for five, as per AFP.
With a first innings lead of 144 runs after dismissing the host team for 144 in the morning session, the Proteas will be looking to Verreynne and all-rounder Wiaan Mulder to build on their sixth-wicket combination, which has already yielded 84 runs.
Day two of the Test match saw a return to normal match programming with the usual ups and downs of a long, exhausting day, following the dramatic opening day that saw 17 wickets fall.
Jason Holder, who went into the morning at 97 for seven in reply to South Africa’s first innings total of 160, was instrumental in moving the home team closer to their opponents’ first day total with his unbroken 54 (88 balls, six fours, and one six).

With significant help from local hero Shamar Joseph, he put up 40 for the final wicket.
Joseph, encouraged by a five-wicket haul on his debut senior international cricket match in his own country, exploited being dropped first delivery to smash 25 fours and one six before giving leg-before wicket to left-arm spinner Keshav Maharaj.
“I was just trying to eke out as many runs as we could,” said Holder at the end of the day.
“First session tomorrow is obviously crucial for us. The most important thing is not to let the runs get too far away, let them sweat a little bit more for their runs, and I believe, with the amount of time left in the game, that we can chase anything they give us.”
After both teams’ bowlers dominated the first innings, Markram and opening partner Tony de Zorzi turned the tide of the game by attacking from the outset in the second session.
After West Indies bowlers reduced the pace of scoring later in the afternoon session, Jayden Seales was the one to finally break the stand after they had put on 79 runs, as de Zorzi (39) was caught by wicketkeeper Joshua da Silva.
Gudakesh Motie‘s removal of Markram for 51 (108 balls, six fours) set off a collapse that saw South Africa lose four wickets for 19 runs and find themselves in trouble at 139 for five. Their discipline paid off at the beginning of the final session.

The Caribbean side rallied behind Seales (3 for 52) and left-arm orthodox spinner Motie (2 for 61), and the West Indies had an opportunity to dismiss South Africa before the end of the day.
But Mulder, the all-rounder who had taken four for 32 in the West Indies first innings, was a resolute partner for wicketkeeper-batsman Verreynne, whose unbeaten fifty had come off 71 balls and featured seven fours. Verreynne was 34 not out alongwith Mulder’s innings.
Despite having to prioritize protecting their wickets, both players sought chances to score, and in the last two overs of the day, Mulder succeeded in hitting Motie and left-arm spinner Kavem Hodge for the first two sixes of his innings.