Bavuma's 171* puts South Africa in commanding position

Temba Bavuma's second Test century lifted South Africa from a precarious position and put them in command of the second Test against West Indies on day three at the Wanderers.

It was a century he had long waited for, 88 innings to be precise. Only New Zealand's Adam Parore (92 innings) had to wait longer after his first Test ton to get to his second.

He finished the day unbeaten on 171, with South Africa's lead swelling to 356, a seemingly untenable position when West Indies dominated the first session and left them at 69 for 4 at lunch.

Bavuma came to bat early in the day, after Kyle Mayers had Dean Elgar steering a catch to gully and Tony de Zorzi chopping on.

Bavuma and Aiden Markram played watchfully till Kemar Roach got Markram to nick off with a jaffa. He then held down fort with Ryan Rickelton, but Rickelton got an edge to Joshua Da Silva off Raymon Reifer just before lunch.

Bavuma flicked Roach through midwicket to bring up his half-century off 107 deliveries, but two overs later, Alzarri Joseph returned to the attack and got Klaasen to top-edge a pull that Da Silva claimed. The South Africa captain was joined by Wiaan Mulder at the crease then, and the two ensured they didn't suffer any further damage in the second session, with the lead beyond 200 at tea.

In the evening session, Bavuma had a nervous moment as Roach drew the outside edge, but the ball fell short of second slip and was deflected to the boundary rope. In the same over, he cut Roach behind point to move to 90. He was helped along in the nineties when Jermaine Blackwood's throw from midwicket missed the stumps at the striker's end and ran away for four overthrows.

Joseph, at this point, switched to the short-ball tactic, especially targeting Mulder. His first bouncer to the allrounder hit him on the glove and Mulder needed some medical attention. Batting on 99, Bavuma thrashed Joseph over cover in his second over of the spell to reach his century. The relief, and joy on Bavuma's face was palpable.

The century came in his second Test as South Africa's captain, after bagging a pair in his first. In fact, at SuperSport Park, he lasted just three balls across the two innings - the shortest stint for any Test captain.

Once he got to his century, he put the afterburners on for a short phase, hooking Joseph twice to the fine leg boundary.

Mulder also joined in, deciding to attack Joseph to counter the short ball barrage that was being thrown at him by the fast bowler. He got to 42 - his highest Test score - before he miscued a pull off a back-of-length delivery that cramped him for space to deep square leg. The duo had put on a stand of 103 runs off 160 deliveries.

Bavuma reined in his aggression after Mulder fell, but started rotating strike with greater frequency as he was joined by Simon Harmer at the crease. It took him just 62 deliveries to move to 150 as West Indies' bowlers started to tire. Even when the second new ball brought about a bit of extra bounce, Bavuma remained largely untroubled.

Jason Holder, who bowled economically without reward through the innings, finally gave West Indies another breakthrough, trapping Harmer lbw in the third over before stumps.