Warrican leads Windies fightback

PORT-OF-SPAIN, Trinidad (CMC):

West Indies’ left-arm spinner Jomel Warrican struck late to leave the first Test against South Africa evenly poised at the end of yesterday’s second day here at the Queen’s Park Oval.

Warrican dismissed Kyle Verreynne and Keshav Maharaj in successive balls with the close in sight, to help wrestle the advantage away from the visitors, who ended the day on 344-8.

Led by a patient half-century from their captain Temba Bavuma, South Africa were coasting at 271-5 after the tea break.

However, Bavuma’s dismissal gave West Indies the momentum they desperately needed to claw themselves back into the contest.

The diminutive captain looked well on his way to a century when he was deceived by a full toss from pacer Jayden Seales and was trapped plumb in front.

He faced 182 balls and hit seven fours and one six in his innings.

Kyle Verreynne and Wiann Mulder looked to be rebuilding the Proteas’ innings in a 57-run partnership that carried them to 328-6.

But Warrican ended the stand by having Verreynne caught and bowled after he pushed a length ball straight back to the bowler to be out for 39.

And Maharaj was on his way back to the pavilion the very next ball when he punched a ball back down the ground, only for Warrican to dive to his left to take the catch around shin height.

Any hopes the home side had of wrapping up the tail was halted by Kagiso Rabada, who is unbeaten on 12 along with Mulder, who finished on 37 not out.

Warrican ended the day with 3-66, while Kemar Roach and Jayden Seales have so far picked up two wickets apiece.

Earlier, a half-century by opener Tony de Zorzi had given South Africa a promising start after they had resumed on 45-1.

De Zorzi, who began the day on 32, eventually brought up his second Test half-century when he tickled a short ball from Seales behind square leg for a single.

Along with overnight batsman Tristan Stubbs, the pair carried the score to 86 before veteran fast bowler Kemar Roach struck to get rid of the latter for 20.

De Zorzi had faced 145 balls for his 78, and shared in a 51-run partnership with Bavuma before he lost his wicket to an ill-advised shot, misjudging a slower, fuller delivery from Warrican, and his attempted reverse sweep ended up in the hands of Kavem Hodge at first slip to leave South Africa 137-3.