Windies vs South Africa 2nd Test Day 1 was an absolute thriller with Shamar Joseph and Wiaan Mulder shining for their respective sides. South Africa really messed up West Indies’ batting, leaving them at 97 for 7 after Shamar Joseph took five wickets in his first Test at home in Guyana.
Shamar Joseph had an awesome start to his international career in Guyana, taking five wickets. But Wiaan Mulder almost stole the show with his best-ever 4 for 18 on a tricky pitch at Providence Stadium. A total of 17 wickets fell, which is the most ever in a day of Test cricket at this place. There was a lot of swing and seam movement, speeding up the game.

Joseph Had his First Five Wickets Haul on His Home Soil
Unlike the slow and rainy Trinidad Test, the action in Guyana was super-fast under clear skies. Even though both captains wanted to bat first, it turned out to be a day for the bowlers, especially the fast ones, who bowled 68 of the 82.2 overs and grabbed 15 wickets. Only one batter, Jason Holder, scored more than 30 runs in the top six of either team. A record 10th-wicket partnership of 63 between Dane Piedt and Nandre Burger gave South Africa the upper hand.
Right from the start, the ball was moving in the air and off the seam. Aiden Markram found this out when he edged the third ball of the Test past third slip, after starting with a cover drive off Holder. On the other end, Jayden Seales kept bringing the ball back into Tony de Zorzi, who left a big gap between his bat and pad and got bowled in the fourth over.
Joseph came into the attack in the seventh over and was dangerous right away. He got some good inswing and made Markram misjudge a ball, knocking over his off stump. That was Joseph’s first wicket on his home ground. Two balls later, he trapped Temba Bavuma in front of the stumps for a duck, making South Africa 20 for 3 at the first drinks break.
David Bedingham hit Joseph for a boundary, but Tristan Stubbs had a tough time getting off the mark. It took him 19 balls to score his first run. By then, he had already survived an lbw appeal and edged Seales just short of second slip. As Stubbs’ innings continued, he kept West Indies in the hunt by keeping the slips busy. And he wasn’t the only one giving West Indies a chance.
Bedingham had a close call when he hit Jomel Warrican over mid-on for a risky shot, but no one could get to it. Stubbs, who had reached 26, was drawn forward by Holder and edged to Warrican at slip, but Warrican couldn’t hold on. If Holder was annoyed, it didn’t last long. In his next over, Stubbs went for an outswinger and was caught by a leaping Kavem Hodge at third slip, just before lunch. South Africa were 64 for 4 at the break.
After the break, Joseph thought he had Bedingham out, but the umpire’s call saved him. However, four balls later, Joseph made sure there was no doubt when Bedingham drove at a full ball and got caught behind.
West Indies were into South Africa’s last recognized batting pair and broke it up in the next over when Seales forced Wiaan Mulder to edge one, getting him out. Kyle Verreynne had a lucky escape when he edged Seales to gully but was dropped. Two balls later, Joseph bowled Keshav Maharaj, and then Seales cleaned up Rabada. When Verreynne played on off Joseph, West Indies had plenty to celebrate.
Joseph completed his third Test five-for, his first at home after a tough tour of England. He celebrated by blowing kisses to the small crowd. South Africa were 97 for 9, close to being bowled out for less than their lowest score against West Indies, 116.
But Piedt had other plans. He took South Africa past 100 with a cover drive and hit Gudakesh Motie for four, then a six, and then another four. West Indies got frustrated and reviewed two chances off Piedt, but neither worked. It didn’t help that Joseph left the field with a cramp and wicketkeeper Joshua da Silva had to hand the gloves to Tevin Imlach after a finger injury. With fewer players, West Indies looked tired.
Piedt and Burger took South Africa past 141, which is their lowest Test score in the West Indies, as the second session was extended with West Indies looking for the last wicket. It came 17 minutes after the scheduled tea break when Burger missed a ball from Motie and was given out lbw, giving West Indies’ top spinner his first wicket of the series.
Fueled by those extra runs, South Africa came out to bowl with the mindset to take quick wickets. Rabada thought he had one when he hit Braithwaite on the pads, but a review showed the ball was missing the stumps. But the breakthrough came soon after. Burger set up Mikyle Louis with some away-swingers and then bowled him with one that came back in.
Keacy Carty started hitting Burger for boundaries, which led to the early introduction of the third seamer, Mulder. Mulder, not usually known as a strike bowler, got Braithwaite out when his second ball squeezed between bat and pad, removing the West Indian captain. Mulder then took a stunning catch off his own bowling to dismiss Alick Athanaze and found swing to get Hodge caught at third slip.
With only three seamers in South Africa’s team, Burger came back on but struggled with his line. Carty hit him straight to short midwicket, leaving West Indies at 47 for 5.
Things could have gotten worse when Holder was given out lbw off Mulder, but he reviewed successfully, and the decision was overturned. Mulder still got his fourth wicket when Da Silva edged him to second slip. Holder tried to fight back, hitting three fours in four balls and sharing a 41-run stand with Motie. But Maharaj had the last word when Motie missed a sweep and was given out lbw, leaving West Indies 63 runs behind with only three wickets left in their first innings. Day two should be just as exciting.
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