Skipper Temba Bavuma struck his first century in seven years, a magnificent 171 off 275 balls, to help South Africa to a strong position on day three against West Indies.

Proteas skipper Temba Bavuma took 2,621 days between his first and second Test centuries, but his unbeaten 171 against West Indies at the Wanderers made the wait seem worth it. It was an innings of grit and flamboyance at a time when his team needed someone to take control of the match.

Bavuma played a sumptuous, lofted drive over mid-off, off the bowling of the impressive Alzarri Joseph to bring up the milestone. That was the culmination of a day of hard graft at the crease.

"I got a ball outside off stump. I definitely wasn't going to try to hit it on the ground. I just kind of went for it," Bavuma said after the day's play.

It is often said in Test cricket that a batters' worth is measured in the number of hundreds they record.

West Indies seamer Kyle Mayers was the pick of the bowlers for the tourists on day three. (Photo: Sydney Seshibedi/Gallo Images)

A second hundred

So, for Bavuma to finally reach his second...