"Sad to see the fall of mighty empire" - Fans react to empty stands in Guyana on Day 1 of West Indies vs South Africa 2nd Test

The second and final Test of the ongoing series between the West Indies and South Africa kicked off at Providence Stadium in Guyana on Thursday, August 15. Fans on the internet were dejected to see the empty stands for the longest format of cricket.

The Proteas won the toss and chose to bat first. However, they failed to register a big total upfront and were bundled out for just 160. South African spinner Dane Piedt was the top performer with the bat for his team, remaining unbeaten on 38. Shamar Joseph bagged a five-wicket haul and was the pick of the bowlers for the hosts.

One of the biggest talking points from Day 1 was the lack of crowd at the stadium. A few pictures surfaced on social media in which the stands seemed nearly empty. Several fans took to social media, expressing their concern over the lack of interest in red-ball cricket in Guyana.

Here are some of the top reactions:

A few supporters pointed out how there is often a full house in Guyana for the Guyana Amazon Warriors matches in the Caribbean Premier League (CPL).

"Proper Empty crowd in Guyana for Test this vs SA . Meanwhile, it always draws full crowds for the Guyana CPL team. Saw posts where people standing queues to buy tickets for this CPL. This is the reality of test cricket outside Big 3." wrote a fan

"West Indies cricket-watching public are some of the worst fans out there. They turn up in large numbers to watch the CPL but the Tests are empty. And they're playing in big venues like Trinidad and Guyana. Proves that they only care about winning, not the actual cricket. West Indies have improved by leaps and bounds in Test cricket and they actually compete now compared with 2000-2010 when they were actually not worth watching. But the useless fans are stuck in a bygone era (the 80s) when West Indies was great." commented another.

"It's the reality here in the Caribbean when it comes to Test Cricket. Last week, it was completely empty and Trinidad just like Guyana where the Test match is taking place and the other islands always getting jam-packed crowds for T2OIs & CPL as for ODIs it's mainly medium." chimed in yet another

The West Indies batters also failed to get going on Day 1 of the second Test. They finished at 97/7 at stumps, still trailing South Africa by 63 runs. Jason Holder was unbeaten at 33, while Keacy Carty scored 26 runs. Wiaan Mulder picked up four scalps for the visitors on the opening day.

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1st Test between West Indies and South Africa ended in a draw

The first Test of the ongoing series between the West Indies and South Africa was held at the Queen's Park Oval, Trinidad, from August 7 to 11. After electing to bat first, South Africa registered an impressive 357-run total in the first innings.

Skipper Temba Bavuma and opener Tony de Zorzi shone with the bat, scoring 86 and 78, respectively. Left-arm spinner Jomel Warrican claimed four wickets in the innings.

West Indies were bowled out for 233 as none of their batters managed to convert their starts into a big score. South Africa's senior left-arm spinner Keshav Maharaj made a significant impact with the ball, dismissing four batters.

South Africa declared their second innings at 173/3, setting a 298-run target for the hosts. The game ended in a tame draw, with the West Indies finishing at 201/5. Alick Athanaze missed out on a century, getting out on 92.