WEST Indies began the opening day of the second Test against South Africa with a strong chance of winning after a Shamar Joseph master-class at the Providence National Stadium.
At stumps yesterday, the West Indies were 97-7 after South Africa was dismissed for 160, the tourists electing to bat on a flat track and lush green.
Shamar Joseph, bowling for the first time in a Test match in the West Indies, bagged 5-33 from 14 overs to follow up his 5-94 and 7-68 debut series in Australia.
Joseph got support from Jayden Seales, who had 3-45.

Number 10 batter Dane Piedt scored an unbeaten 38 from 60 balls, decorated with four fours and a six.
He shared in a 63-run last-wicket stand with Nandre Burger, who made 23, with two fours, which represented the only high point in the game dominated by the West Indies for almost two sessions.
Watched by a handful of fans in the Green Stand in sweltering heat, Tony de Zorzi (1) was bowled by Jayden Seales in the fourth over at 8-1.
Aiden Markram and Tristan Stubbs carried the score to 20, before Shamar Joseph was introduced in the seventh over on his home ground, after missing the first Test in Trinidad.
The lively Berbician, who turns 25 at month end, struck twice in three balls in his third over.

Joseph, in his sixth Test, moved a few balls away from Markram before bowling outside off, angling it into the batter, who played no shot, and was bowled for 14.
Two balls later, Skipper Temba Bavuma got one that came back and kept low, and was trapped, LBW, for a duck, as two fell at 20 to leave South Africa on 20-3.
David Bedingham joined Stubbs, and steered the lively Joseph to the backward point boundary.

Stubbs’ best shot of the day was a glorious cover-drive boundary, but he edged several balls just short of the slip cordon, with one carrying low to Mikel Louis, who ‘grassed’ a difficult catch with the batsman on 21.
The 50 was posted in 19.2 overs, before Stubbs fell to Jason Holder for 26, with three boundaries at 57-4.
By lunch, South Africa was 64-4, with Bedingham 14, and Kyle Verreynne on four.

After Lunch, Bedingham sweetly clipped Joseph for four through square leg, before the pacer produced a beauty that enticed the right-hander to ‘edge’ to the Keeper, Joshua DaSilva.
Bedingham hit three fours in his 28, as the tourists slipped to 78-5.
Wiaan Mulder (0) was caught behind off Searles at 87-6.

Keshav Maharaj was dropped at third slip off Joseph, only to have his stumps scattered off the next ball, to leave South Africa on 88-7.
Kagiso Rabada (0) had his stumps disturbed by Searles at 93-8, before Joseph picked up his third five-wicket haul in his short Test career, when he bowled Kyle Verreynne for 21 at 97-9.
Piedt stroked Searles for four to post the 100, as he hit Gudakesh Motie for a six and a four in the same over, while Burger, growing in confidence as his innings progressed, hit Searles for four.
Piedt hit Jamal Warrican for a double to post their 50 stand, while the 150 was soon achieved.

Motie soon broke the frustrating partnership, when a quicker ball trapped Burger, LBW, to leave South Africa all out for 160.
The out-of-form Kraigg Brathwaite, and Mikyle Louis had their stumps dismantled inside eight overs, to leave West Indies on 21-2 as the response began poorly.
Louis was beaten for pace by a good length delivery from Burger, and was bowled for a duck.

Brathwaite seemed to have lost all confidence, and never demonstrated any intent as he faced 19 balls for his three runs, before being bowled by Mulder.
Alick Athanaze (1) patted a ball back to the bowler, and Mulder gleefully accepted the offering to leave West Indies on 35-3.
Kavem Hodge (4), the only West Indian to score a ton in England, did not last long, falling to Mulder at 43-4.

Keacy Carty effortlessly flicked Rabada for six, but when seemingly set on 26, he fell to Burger, and West Indies were wobbling on the ropes on 47-5.
When the left-arm pacer removed DaSilva (4) at 56-6, the impressive Mulder had taken four of the six wickets to fall.
Holder played with positive intent, and reached the boundary six times in his undefeated 33, while Motie showed excellent support before attempting an irresponsible sweep of the final ball of the day, and was lbw to Maharaj to end their 41-run stand.
Today is the second, and West Indies are still 64 away from South Africa’s total, with three wickets in hand.