JOHANNESBURG: Aiden Markram made a half century as South Africa raced to a fast start on the first day of the second Test against the West Indies on Wednesday.
Markram followed up his century in South Africa’s victory in the first Test with an unbeaten 55 as his side reached 133 for one at lunch after captain Temba Bavuma had won the toss and decided to bat on an easy-paced pitch.
Dean Elgar and Markram put on 76 for the first wicket at the Wanderers Stadium, with the left-handed Elgar outscoring his partner before he was caught at short fine leg off left-arm spinner Gutakesh Motie for 42.
The wicket came as a surprise as Elgar looked in no trouble before top-edged a sweep against a poor ball outside his leg stump. The ball looped to Roston Chase, who took a good catch diving forward. Elgar made his runs off 54 balls with seven fours.
Runs continued to flow when Tony De Zorzi, who moved rapidly to 31 not out, joined Markram. The pair posted a 50-run partnership off 57 balls.
Motie, who missed his side’s 87-run defeat in the first Test in Centurion because of a back injury, extracted some turn from an unusually dry surface but was inconsistent and had figures of one for 33 off five overs.
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