Becalmed West Indies in strife as Anrich Nortje and Kagiso Rabada surge through top-order

Fast bowlers made the big breakthroughs as hosts struggle for runs on first morning

West Indies 48 for 4 (Chase 7*, Blackwood 0*) vs South Africa

The last time South Africa played a series there was in 2010, before any of the current members of the squad debuted, but they adjusted well to unknown conditions after being made to bowl first. The seamers all impressed with accuracy and aggression and worked well as a group to plough their way into West Indies’ middle order.

After almost getting returning opener Shai Hope to inside-edge onto his stumps with the last ball of his opening over, Nortje bowled him with a full delivery with the third ball of his second. It was the perfect fast bowler’s dismissal with the ball angling away and hitting the top of off stump.

Nortje thought he had a second off the next ball when he greeted Nkumah Bonner with a menacing short ball that he appeared to top-edge onto his badge. South Africa reviewed while Bonner had a concussion test and while the former was unsuccessful and showed no bat, the latter revealed Bonner could continue. It only took Nortje three more balls to strike again. He bowled Brathwaite with a delivery that jagged back to hit his outside edge as he offered no stroke.

Bonner and Roston Chase took their time to rebuild, with Chase’s first runs coming off the 25th ball he faced and Bonner’s first boundary coming as he tried to withdraw a shot against Rabada and sending the ball over the slip cordon. He struggled against Rabada and was beaten again in the next over before being squared up and edging to Quinton de Kock. West Indies had no chance to stabilise because, in the next over, Kyle Mayers tried to pull a Nortje length ball but gifted Rassie van der Dussen a catch at extra cover. Lungi Ngidi was the only seamer who did not take a wicket but his seven overs cost just 10 runs.

Play began with West Indies, as they have done for the last 11 months, taking a knee in support of anti-racism. For the first time since the athlete activist movement began, South Africa opted to give their players individual choice over their gesture after their collective decision last year not to take a knee but to wear armband and raise a fist instead.

Rabada, Lungi Ngidi, Keshav Maharaj, Keegan Petersen, Rassie van der Dussen and Kyle Verreynne took a knee. Dean Elgar, Aiden Markram, Wiaan Mulder and Nortje raised a fist while Quinton de Kock stood. On the sidelines, South Africa’s entire support staff took a knee while one reserve player raised a fist and another stood.