SA vs Zim: NatWest Series

South Africa made light work of their match as they strolled to a comfortable 9 wicket win over Zimbabwe.

Just one change was made to the South African team, Paul Adams comes into the playing eleven in place of Nicky Boje and Zimbabwe bring in Raymond Price in place of Gary Brent.

South Africa won the toss at Sophia Gardens and elected to insert Zimbabwe.

Zimbabwe struggled from the off and never really recovered, only a lone half-century from their captain gave the Zimbabweans any real chance of winning the match.

Zimbabwe lost regular wickets at the top of the order seeing the top three back in the hut within the first 15 Overs. D Marillier was the first to go in the 6th over when he attempted a pull from a straight delivery and only succeeded in top edging it high up towards the square leg region where J Rudolph was waiting to take a simple catch.

C Langeveldt was bought into the attack with immediate success as with just his second ball he sends down a yorker length delivery and T Friend plays all over it and the ball crashes into the middle stump to leave Zimbabwe reeling at 36/2 in the 15th over.

They say lighting never strikes twice (so this must just be good captaincy) however after C Langeveldt took a wicket in his first over, the very next over J Kallis was bought on and he did exactly the same, as with the 4th ball of his first over. The ball was just short of a good length and with slight away movement D Ebrahim gets a thin edge and Boucher takes a simple catch behind the stumps.

At 38/3 Zimbabwe were in all sorts of trouble and the innings fell away as the next three wickets added just 54 runs in the next 18 overs (3 runs an over).

H Steak then steadied the ship as he batted with control for a fine 54 (72), H Streak was given able support from S Ervine inparticular as the pair added 52 in just over ten overs before S Ervine was caught behind of the bowling of J Kallis. H Streak was the last of the wickets to fall in the 49th over as he got an inside edge off J Kallis to end his super knock.


In reply South Africa required 175 to win at just 3.5 an over

Both of the South African batsmen would admit they haven't really fired so far in the series, and a big score was surely just around the corner. Well today they turned that corner and after weathering the tight opening bowling from H Streak and D Hondo the pair upped the tempo and were giving the bowlers a tough time, A Blignaut who was one of the best bowlers coming into this match took most of the punishment as his 5 overs cost a massive 40 runs, including 5 wides and a no ball.

Both batsman pasted their 50's before the 30th over and it was G Smith who was the first and only South African wicket to fall as he become another casualty of the first over bowling. This time it was S Ervine who induced the finest of edges through to the keeper, who took an easy catch.

M van Jaarsveld was promoted to three to help see H Gibbs through to the victory that followed just three overs later. H Gibbs was back to his best hitting a blistering 93 from just 97 balls including 12 x 4's and a six. M van Jaarsveld meanwhile ended on 8* from 12 balls.


Zimbabwe: 174/8 - H Streak 54, G Flower 26; J Kallis 3/47, A Hall 2/19

South Africa: 175/1 - H Gibbs 93*, G Smith 58; S Ervine 1/13


South Africa won by 9 wickets

Cricket Web Man of the Match: H Gibbs

Posted by Richard