South Africa despite getting bowled out for a modest total of 160 sneaked ahead of the West Indies at the close of play on the opening day of the second Test in Guyana on Thursday, August 15. As many as 17 wickets fell on the opening day as the bowlers ruled the roost for both teams, however, the West Indies will rue their chance of dominating South Africa after having them reduced to 97/9 before the Proteas staged a comeback with both bat and ball. The visitors decided to bat first on what seemed like a tricky surface but not a 97/9 tricky.
The wickets procession began with a Jayden Seales beauty to Toni de Zorzi outside the off-stump in the fourth over of South African innings. The procession just didn't stop throughout the day as Shamar Joseph soon cleaned up Aiden Markram and trapped SA skipper Temba Bavuma just two balls into his innings to leave the visitors reeling at 20/3. Tristan Stubbs and David Bedingham taped on the leaking tap for a few overs as they really got into their innings playing on the merit of the ball and negotiating the seam movement Joseph and Seales were getting, however, that lasted only for so long.
The 72-ball stand came to an end with dismissing Stubbs for 26. Soon Bedingham joined his teammates in the dressing room as his wicket triggered another collapse with South Africa going from 78/4 to 97/9. Coming into the side for their bowling, Nandre Burger and off-spinner Dane Piedt didn't know they had to do the job with the bat first.
Piedt and Bur.