The first match of the Test series between South Africa and West Indies teams started on 28 February and the fall of wickets started from day one itself. Especially on the second and third day there was a fall of wickets. Only 8 wickets fell on the first day, while 16 wickets were taken on the second day. The same situation continued on the third day as well and then 16 wickets collapsed. In the pitch of Super Sport Park, the pacers of both the teams defeated the batsmen. Ultimately, Aiden Markram’s century in the first innings and his 47 in the second innings proved to be the difference, giving the hosts the victory.
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South Africa’s second innings collapsed on just 116 runs on the third day of the match. Opener Aiden Markram played another good innings for the team and scored the highest 47 runs. Apart from him, however, no other batsman could contribute. 8 batsmen of the team could not even reach double digits. Experienced pacer Kemar Roach (5 wickets) destroyed the South African batting with the help of Alzarri Joseph (2 wickets) and Jason Holder (2 wickets).
If the 9th and 10th number batsmen Kagiso Rabada and Gerald Coetzee had not shared a 29-run partnership, the score would have been even lower. Although the team had a lead of 130 runs in the first innings.
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In such a situation, West Indies had a target of 247 runs to win and two and a half days of play were left in front. However, the way the pacers of both the teams wreaked havoc, it was predicted that the game would end in 2-3 sessions and that is exactly what happened. From the wicket in the first over of the innings to taking the last wicket in the 41st over, South African fast bowler Kagiso Rabada troubled the Windies batsmen. Rabada and Marco Jansen together rattled 5 wickets for 33 runs. Jermaine Blackwood (79) played a counter-attacking innings for the West Indies, which got some support from the lower order but Rabada, Jansen and Anrich Nortje proved to be difficult to deal with and the whole team was bundled out for just 159. Rabada took the maximum 6 wickets in the innings and gave the team a 1-0 lead.
Aiden Markram for his fine batting and two vital knocks of 115 and 47 on a bowlers dominated surface , was declared the player of the match