Rain allows only 15 overs on opening day between West Indies and South Africa

And de Zorzi could not have asked for anything better. His eyes lit up when Motie flighted his fourth ball, and he went down on one knee to swipe it over midwicket. He repeated the shot two balls later and Motie was only kept on for another over, and de Zorzi hit him for four in that one, before Braithwaite went to Jason Holder.

Now remember Markram had been camping back in the crease against Roach? That’s where he was for Holder’s first delivery, which seamed in through the bat-pad gap and took out off stump to dismiss him for 9. Markram’s last three first-innings scores in Test cricket have been in single figures, which could be something he will want to address as the season moves on.

His dismissal brought South Africa’s new No. 3 Tristan Stubbs to the middle. He was off the mark when he tucked Holder to square leg and faced four more balls before the rain began, at 11.10am local time.

An early lunch was taken 40 minutes later as showers came and went intermittently. Two hours later, images of covers decorated with puddles and ominously grey skies were beamed around the world but the clean-up began.

A 2pm inspection could not take place as the rain returned just as the umpires were about to begin their rounds and 45 minutes later the day was deemed unsalvageable.

The outcome will be particularly disappointing for South Africa, who have not played Test cricket with a first-choice side since January, and have a lean red-ball schedule. After this Test, they have only seven matches left in this World Test Championship cycle and all their series in the 2023-2025 period have been limited to two Tests. (ESPNcricinfo)