Gqberha - The Proteas batters showed glimpses of turning their batting fortunes around in the first innings of the first Test against the West Indies at SuperSport Park in Centurion following a lean patch with the bat in the ICC Test Championship.
A first innings total of 342 runs gave hope that South Africa had finally put the low scores behind them.
The second innings, however, proved that there is still a long way before Shukri Conrad’s team can say they have turned things around.
Six batters in South Africa’s top seven only managed single-figures, with Markram the only one to put up some sort of fight with 47 off 58 deliveries.
The collapse started late on Day 2 where South Africa lost the wickets of Dean Elgar, Tony de Zorzi, Temba Bavuma and Keegan Petersen with just 49 runs on the board. Jason Holder (2/7 in 7 overs) and Kemar Roach (5/47 in 10 overs) ripped into the Proteas batting order on Day 3 and bowled them out for 116 runs.
Kagiso Rabada again accounted for the West Indies skipper Kraigg Brathwaite minutes before lunch to leave the West Indies needing 246 runs to win with nine wickets in hand.
State of play ...
South Africa (first Innings): 342 all out (Markram 115, Joseph 5/82)
West Indies (first innings): 212 all out (Reifer 68, Nortje 5/36)
SA (second innings): 116 all out (Markram 47, Roach 5/47)
West Indies (second innings): 0/1