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CAPE TOWN. — Leon Johnson notched up his second test half-century on the first day of the third and final test against South Africa at Sahara Park Newlands in Cape Town yesterday and claimed that “this has been the best day of the series for us”.
The West Indies ended the first day on 276 for six after Danesh Ramdin had won his third successive toss and decided to bat first.
“The track was pretty flat despite the little bit of grass it had in the morning,” added Johnson.
Kraigg Brathwaite (seven) and Devon Smith added 30 runs for the first wicket before Dale Steyn (21-5-59-2) had Brathwaite, who scored a century in Port Elizabeth, caught by Dean Elgar at third slip in the 14th over.
“It wasn’t difficult, just challenging in the morning because Dale was really having a good spell,” said Johnson at the press conference after the day’s play.
Smith was then joined by Johnson and the pair posted 50 runs for the second wicket before Simon Harmer, who was making his debut, claimed his first test wicket when he clean-bowled Smith (47) with the final ball before the luncheon with the score on 80 for two.
“I was really nervous up until Hashim (Amla) came to me and said that I was going to bowl the next over. I mean if you had told me 10 days ago that I was going to be bowling for South Africa in a test at Newlands I would have slapped you,” said Harmer on his selection for the Proteas.
Johnson and Marlon Samuels (43) added another 50-run stand before the left-handed Johnson was trapped plumb in front for 54 runs after spending 109 minutes at the crease.
Stiaan van Zyl (8-2-13-1) then claimed his first test scalp when Samuels drove a wide ball straight to Faf du Plessis in the covers.
Five overs later Harmer struck again when AB de Villiers reacted quickly to whip the bails off the stumps after Shivnarine Chanderpaul (nine) had danced down the track and missed a leg-side delivery.
“It wasn’t really a plan, AB just did brilliantly to get to the ball and take the bails off,” said the right-arm spinner of the stumping.
“I started off a bit full so I had to adjust my lengths because the wicket wasn’t really turning and when the pitch doesn’t turn, you need to ask questions with your lengths,” added Harmer.
Chanderpaul’s dismissal left the visitors in a precarious position of 172 for five and staring at another possible collapse but Jermaine Blackwood and Ramdin (53) resurrected the innings with a gritty stand of 94 for the sixth wicket before Steyn dismissed Ramdin, caught and bowled, with the new ball.
Steyn became South Africa’s second highest wicket taker as he moved past Makhaya Ntini on to 391 test victims, now only behind Shaun Pollock in the list of South Africa’s all-time best bowlers.
“We worked on technical things, but nothing much mentally as that is the only thing you can do yourself,” said Johnson.
Blackwood, on 45, and Jason Holder (five not out) will resume on Saturday and look to push the West Indies along as far as possible.
“This track is pretty flat, so we will be happy to get to between 350 and 400, so we are happy with our position but if we can get 400+ runs then it will be great,” said Johnson.
Harmer will be looking to add just two wickets to his name on the second day to cap a wonderful debut by claiming a five-for but the 25-year old spinner isn’t looking that far ahead.
“My job in the first innings is more of a holding role, and then hopefully be attacking in the second innings, but if I pick up wickets along the way then so be it. I am not looking at picking up wickets for the glory, but it was a good day of test cricket,” concluded Harmer. — SuperSport.
Online Reporter