De Zorzi, Bavuma shine as SA take control

South Africa captain Temba Bavuma again fell short of a century but top scored as South Africa reached 344-8 at the close of play on the second day of the first Test against the West Indies at the Queen's Park Oval on Thursday.

Bavuma scored 86 runs before falling leg before wicket to an away swinging full toss from Jayden Seales while opener Tony de Zorzi contributed 76.

Wiaan Mulder (37) and Kagiso Rabada (12) were not out at stumps and will resume on Friday, with the hosts looking to wrap up the tail.

There were several other useful contributions after South Africa resumed on 45-1. All but 70 minutes of the first day’s play was lost because of rain.

De Zorzi was 32 not out overnight and sped to his 50 off 78 balls before partner Tristan Stubbs was the first to lose his wicket, out for 20 after getting a healthy edge to first slip off Kemar Roach, who is back in the West Indies team after missing last month's tour to England.

De Zorzi then went out after injudicious reverse sweep off spinner Jomel Warrican saw him glove the ball to leg slip.

David Bedingham followed for 29 runs as he holed out to deep forward square leg with a pulled shot off Seales.

Bavuma put on 57 for the fifth wicket with Ryan Rickleton, who was out for 19 trapped leg before wicket to Roach immediately after the Windies took the new ball.

Then Bavuma was dismissed as he continued his struggle to convert half centuries into Test tons. He has only two test centuries in 57 matches for South Africa.

Warrican took two wickets in successive balls in the final 20 minutes of play, both caught and bowled.

First, Kyle Verreynne was dismissed for 39 as he punched the ball straight back at the spinner, ending a 57-run seventh wicket partnership with Mulder.

Then Warrican pulled off a diving catch to send Keshav Maharaj back for a first ball dismissal.

Rabada saw off the hat-trick ball but then offered an edge to Warrican's next delivery which fell just short of the slips.

A flat track made it a day of toil for the bowlers with Warrican's 3-66 the best return.