JOHANNESBURG – Kraigg Brathwaite once again won the toss, but this time, with cloudy overhead conditions, and on a new pitch he chose to bowl in the second Test against South Africa on Friday.
Last week, Brathwaite’s decision to bat, was a key factor in that match’s outcome with South Africa bowling the West Indies out for just 97 before going on to win the match by an innings and 63 runs.
The West Indies made one change to their starting eleven, bringing in Shannon Gabriel, who missed the first Test with a hamstring strain, for spinner Rakheem Cornwall. South Africa played the same team that won a week ago, with Temba Bavuma missing out, this time with a dislocated left middle finger, which he picked up at training on Wednesday. He missed last week’s match with a hip strain.
A new pitch is being used for the second Test at the Daren Sammy Cricket Ground, with Sir Curtly Ambrose saying on television that it would assist the seamers early on although the grass covering wasn’t as lush as the one used for the first match.
The start of the match was delayed because of light rain, and with more rain forecast for the rest of the day and the next few days too, it could be a stop start affair.
The local authorities in St. Lucia in conjunction with the West Indies Cricket board will allow a maximum of 400 spectators into the ground for each day of the Test. Those fan will have to be fully vaccinated and will need to wear a mask while inside the ground.
Teams
West Indies: Kraigg Brathwaite (capt), Jermaine Blackwood, Roston Chase, Joshua Da Silva, Shannon Gabriel, Jason Holder, Shai Hope, Kyle Mayers, Kieran Powell, Kemar Roach, Jayden Seales
South Africa: Aiden Markram, Dean Elgar (capt), Keegan Petersen, Rassie van der Dussen, Kyle Verreynne, Quinton de Kock, Wiaan Mulder, Kagiso Rabada, Keshav Maharaj, Lungi Ngidi, Anrich Nortje
IOL Sport