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A full day's play could be the key to getting a result from the first Test between the Proteas and West Indies, captain Temba Bavuma said at the close of play on the rain -affected fourth day in Port of Spain on Saturday.
South Africa (357 in the first innings) ended the day on 30 runs without loss in their second innings, carrying forward a lead of 124 after dismissing the hosts for 233 in their first innings. Openers Aiden Markram (nine off 15 balls) and Tony de Zorzi (14 off 16) saw out the close.
While the most likely outcome looks to be a draw, Bavuma was unapologetic in his assertion the Proteas will be aiming for a positive result, if weather permits.
“Hopefully we can have a full day, I think that will give us a realistic chance of getting a result that goes in our favour — we will look for the win,” he said.
“We will have to take care of that first hour [on day five], let the openers continue for a bit longer and if things are all equal, we can throw caution to the wind and see what happens.”
In another rain-interrupted day of Test cricket, two sessions were lost on the penultimate day as showers sprayed across a heavily covered Queen's Park Oval for much of the morning and early afternoon.
Bavuma said the transition into game mode once play resumed was fairly quick because the Proteas knew what needed to be done.
“We knew the weather wasn't to great, but kudos to the umpires for their urgency in trying to get the game [going].
“We had to get ourselves in the right frame of mind from a bowling point of view, [which was to] try to clean up the rest of the innings as quickly as we can, which we were able to do.”
Left-armer Keshav Maharaj was South Africa's most successful bowler with 4-76 off 40 overs. He added 12 overs to his overnight 28-over marathon.
“It makes the job a lot easier [because] he controls things from one side, not just as a holding bowler, but someone who can attack and take wickets,” Bavuma said.
“It also becomes easier to give your seamers a run from the other end in short bursts along with Aiden who is more than capable with his spin, who can come in, hold up an end and take wickets when the opportunity presents itself.”
When play got under way both lunch and tea breaks had been lost along with about six hours of cricket, but the visitors took full advantage of the extended break.
Kevam Hodge (11) and Jason Holder (13) took the fight to the South African bowlers, adding 49 runs for the fifth wicket to take their side past 150. But when Markram (1/42) castled Holder for 36 and Maharaj grabbed his fourth wicket with the removal of Joshua da Silva (1) it began a slide that saw West Indies score just 60 runs for the loss of their last six wickets.
Rabada, who got his chance with the second new ball, struck three times in consecutive overs, removing Hodge (25), Gudakesh Motie for a duck and Kemar Roach trapped leg before wicket for eight.
Jomel Warrican ended not out for 35 in a well played cameo as Lungi Ngidi (1/26) wrapped up the innings with the wicket of Jayden Seales (4). Rabada claimed 3/56 from 18 overs.
De Zorzi and Markram got things off to a positive start with a treble of sweetly-struck boundaries to take their lead to 154 at the close, which sets up the prospect of a T20-style final day as both sides go in search of victory.
