Cape Town — Don’t say this new Proteas team didn’t warn you because this type of Test cricket requires an age restriction.
It’s unadulterated action that is definitely not for the faint of heart. It’s certainly not for the purist because it will be ugly sometimes, but it is bloody entertaining.
SEE ALSO: Anrich Nortje rips into the West Indies as Proteas edge slightly ahead in first Test
Eleven wickets fell in the final two sessions of the second day of this riveting first Test between South Africa and the West Indies. There was no precursor to what was to come after the tourists had meandered to 136/3 at tea.
SA had earlier been dismissed for 342 — adding a further 28 runs to their overnight total — with Alzarri Joseph (5/81) picking up his maiden Test “five-for” in the process.
The Highveld is well-known for its lighting and thunderstorms, and that is precisely what Anrich Nortje unleashed in the post-lunch session. Raymon Reifer (62) and Jermaine Blackwood (37) had shown great application after the early departure of captain Kraigg Brathwaite and Tagenarine Chanderpaul.
But that is when the “Uitenhage Express” stoked his engine by having Blackwood caught behind before steaming through the West Indies middle order after tea.
SEE ALSO: West Indies fight back after a difficult start to day two in Centurion
Kyle Mayers (18), Joshua Da Silva (4), Jason Holder (0) and Joseph (4) were all caught up in the carnage as Nortje finished with figures of 5/36. With Kagiso Rabada (2/21) and debutant Gerald Coetzee (2/45) also chipping in, the West Indies were blown away for 212.
The tourists lost their last eight wickets for 90 runs to mirror the Proteas’ lower-order collapse the previous day.
Nortje credited his five-wicket blitz to learnings gained on the recent Australian tour, where the Proteas bowling attack was put under severe pressure at times.
"We learned a lot as a group over there (Australia). It was a great learning curve for me and all of us and we want to just use that here as well,” Nortje said.
“It's not the quickest wicket, it's going a little up and down, but just sticking to our plans. The rhythm is feeling good. I need to adjust a little now and then. It's just about finding that rhythm.”
The Proteas, though, were unable to fully capitalise on their 130-run first innings lead as the hosts fell in the same sandpit. Only first innings centurion Aiden Markram looked remotely confident at the crease with his undefeated 35 making up the bulk of the Proteas’ 49/4 — an overall lead of 179 — at stumps.
SEE ALSO: Alzarri Joseph's maiden Test five-for for West Indies restricts Proteas to 342
Joseph was once again the chief destroyer, picking up the big wickets of Dean Elgar and Temba Bavuma, who bagged a pair of ducks in his first match as Proteas Test captain.
Kemar Roach also picked up debutant Tony de Zorzi for a first-ball duck before Holder closed off an eventful day with Keegan Petersen’s wicket with the last ball.
“It's definitely not ideal,” Nortje said about losing four late wickets. “But I am sure we have the middle order to try and get us a proper lead and Aiden's looking very good as well.
“We just need some sort of partnership to take the lead to 250-plus. Definitely that's very competitive. The more we can get the better, but I would think 250-plus is a very good score.”
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