Cape Town - The Proteas maintained their ascendency during the second session of the first Test on day one against the West Indies with Aiden Markram inching closer to his sixth Test century.
Markram was undefeated on 97 at the tea interval along with Proteas Test debutant Tony de Zorzi (22 not out)
The Windies enjoyed the sole success of Dean Elgar after lunch when the former Proteas Test captain hauled out an uncharacteristic ramp shot that was brilliantly caught by Jermaine Blackwood off the bowling of Alzarri Joseph (1/35).
Blackwood had earlier dropped Elgar on 11 with the left-hander adding a further 60 runs to be dismissed for 71.
Elgar formed part of the Proteas’ first century-run opening stand since last year’s first Test against Bangladesh as he and Markram compiled 141 for the first wicket in 35.3 overs.
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The loss of Elgar did nothing to stem the Proteas’ momentum with Markram taking the ascendancy while debutant De Zorzi was finding his feet in his first international innings.
Markram was equally confident on both sides of the wicket as he began to strike boundaries almost at will.
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De Zorzi, who started his professional career at Centurion before moving down south to Western Province, also settled in nicely and struck some neat cover drives to get his innings moving as the pair brought up their 50-run partnership.
They will look to extend it even further in the final session as the Windies have lacked any measure of control by sending down only two maidens over the course of the two sessions.
Brief scores:
First Test, Day 1, Tea
South Africa: 206/1
IOL Sport