Half-centuries by Aiden Markram at the top of the innings and Kyle Verreynne at the end of the day put South Africa in charge of the second Test against the West Indies on Friday.

At stumps on the second day, the Proteas were 223 for five in their second innings, for an overall lead of 239 runs.

Having dismissed the home side for 144 in the morning session to earn a nominal 16-run first innings lead, the Proteas go into day three looking to Verreynne and all-rounder Wiaan Mulder to further extend a sixth-wicket partnership that has already realised 84 runs.

After 17 wickets tumbled on a frenetic opening day, day two saw a return to regular Test match match programming with the typical ebbs and flows of a long, energy-sapping day.

Starting the morning at 97 for seven in reply to South Africa's first innings total of 160, Jason Holder's unbeaten 54 (88 balls, six fours and one six) was vital in getting the home side closer to their opponents' first day effort.

He put on 40 for the last wicket with considerable assistance from local hero Shamar Joseph.

Buoyed by a five-wicket hall on his first day of senior international cricket in his homeland, Joseph took advantage of being dropped first ball to belt 25 with four fours and one six before falling leg-before to left-arm spinner Keshav Maharaj.

"I was just trying to eke out as many runs as we could," said Holder at the end of the day.

"First session tomorrow is obviously crucial for us. The most important thing is not to let the runs get too far away, let them sweat a little bit more for their runs, and I believe, with the amount of time left in the game, that we can chase anything they give us."

Verreynne, Mulder in runs

With the first innings of both teams very much dominated by the bowlers, Markram and opening partner Tony de Zorzi changed the tone of the match with an attacking start to the second innings.

West Indies' bowlers pulled back the scoring rate deeper into the afternoon session and it was Jayden Seales who eventually separated the pair after they had put on 79 when de Zorzi (39) feathered a catch to wicketkeeper Joshua da Silva.

Their discipline brought greater rewards at the start of the final session as South Africa lost four wickets for 19 runs to be in trouble at 139 for five, a slide triggered by Gudakesh Motie's dismissal of Markram for 51 (108 balls, six fours).

Seales (3 for 52) and left-arm orthodox spinner Motie (2 for 61) led the Caribbean side's fightback and the West Indies sensed the chance to dismiss South Africa before the end of the day.

However wicketkeeper-batsman Verreynne, whose unbeaten 50 has come off 71 balls and included seven fours, found a resolute partner in Mulder, the all-rounder following up his haul of four for 32 in the West Indies first innings with a determined 34 not out.

Notwithstanding the need to preserve their wickets first and foremost, both looked for opportunities to score and Mulder did anything but shut up shop in the day's final two overs as he hoisted Motie and occasion left-arm spinner Kavem Hodge for the two sixes of his innings so far.