Temba Bavuma

Temba Bavuma raises his bat at the Wanderers. Image: SuperSport/Twitter

Bavuma cuts his critics with century at the Wanderers

Temba Bavuma has played a real captain’s innings at the Wanderers to help put his side back on the front foot in the second Test.

Temba Bavuma

Temba Bavuma raises his bat at the Wanderers. Image: SuperSport/Twitter

Temba Bavuma has played a real captain’s innings at the Wanderers to help put his side back on the front foot in the second Test.

The Proteas are a work in progress. Of that there is no doubt. Winning even when not at your best is a sign of a good team. And they Proteas did that in the first Test albeit with no runs from Bavuma.

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Bavuma comes good in Proteas’ time of need

The second Test saw another first innings collapse and once again Bavuma failed to dig in. He made just 28 before being found leg before wicket to Jason Holder.

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The same Holder then blasted the bowlers to all parts and set the game up for a thrilling second half as the Proteas led by just 79 runs.

It went from thrill to thud for the Proteas though. Aiden Markram failed for the first time in the series and both Dean Elgar and Tony de Zorzi didn’t make it past 10.

In a way, it was beautifully set up for Bavuma, who continues to have his fair share of detractors.

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Dropped from the T20 side by Rob Walter, the new Proteas red-ball captain needed to show his worth. And as wickets fell all around him at the Wanderers, the feisty batsman showed up with this best.

Second ton for Temba

At 69/4 and 103/5, the contribution of Bavuma cannot be overstated enough. After bringing up his first half century as skipper, he continued to work hard alongside Wiaan Mulder to stretch the Proteas lead.

It is Bavuma’s second ton and his first since 2016 when he struck three figures at Newlands.

The knock put South Africa in a commanding position to win the second Test as the lead moved past 250 runs. A far cry from the spot they were in when he arrived at the wicket.

Bavuma teammates
Praised by his teammates. Image: Supersport/Twitter

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