DAY 1 REPORTSouth Africa's return to Test cricket was thwarted by the elements as they reached 45/1 on Wednesday before steady rain forced the abandonment of most of the opening day's play of the first Test of the two-match series against the West Indies. Only 15 overs' play was possible after home captain Kraigg Brathwaite won the toss and put the visitors in to bat in bright conditions.
Aiden Markram's was the one wicket to fall as Jason Holder sent his off-stump cartwheeling just after an hour's play for a painstaking nine off 34 balls. Content to let opening partner Tony de Zorzi do the bulk of the early scoring, the Proteas' T20 World Cup skipper was undone by Holder's first delivery of the day.
That wicket brought in South Africa's new number three, Tristan Stubbs, although by then the dark clouds were gathering and eventually forced the players off the field.
Weather permitting, De Zorzi will resume on the second day on 32 off 52 balls. The left-hander struck two sixes and two fours in seeking to make an early statement at the top of a batting line-up, which has an air of uncertainty given their relative lack of international experience.
This is South Africa's first Test since putting out a depleted team for two matches in New Zealand five months ago, where they lost both matches.
Having just returned from a 3-0 series hammering inflicted by England, West Indies made three changes from the side whipped by ten wickets in the final Test in Birmingham just ten days earlier.
Keacy Carty, from the Dutch territory of St Maarten, is making his Test debut in the batting order at the expense of Kirk McKenzie. The bowling line-up is adjusted with experienced seamer Kemar Roach back after missing the England campaign because of injury.
Jomel Warrican returned to the team alongside fellow left-arm orthodox spinner Gudakesh Motie with pacers Alzarri Joseph and Shamar Joseph making way for them.
South Africa opted to go with one specialist spinner in Keshav Maharaj in their final eleven. Kagiso Rabada is spearheading a pace attack, which also includes Lungi Ngidi and Wiaan Mulder.
Apart from the responsibility handed to Stubbs despite his inexperience, David Bedingham is also expected to play a key role given his sumptuous form for Durham in the English County Championship prior to his arrival in the Caribbean.
The Proteas have never lost a series to the Caribbean side, although they suffered a dramatic defeat in the historic one-off first Test meeting between the two sides in Barbados in 1992 in what was the African nation's first Test following 22 years of international isolation due to its apartheid policy.
Brief Scores:
South Africa 45/1 (Tony de Zorzi 35*, Aiden Markram 9; Jason Holder 1/2) vs West Indies
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