Proteas clinch Zimbabwe series
East London - South Africa cruised to a comfortable six-wicket victory over Zimbabwe in a limited-overs match at Buffalo Park on Monday in a match that failed to deliver much excitement at all for the patient crowd of 4 800.
South Africa scored 156 for four in a workmanlike display after Zimbabwe had been dismissed for 152 in their 50th over.
By so doing they clinched the three-match series 2-0, with the last match scheduled to be played in Potchefstroom on Wednesday.
But most disturbing for South Africa, a number of batsmen played themselves in well, but there were no big innings from any of the top-order batsmen.
Boeta Dippenaar perished for nine when he mistimed a pull to be caught at a deep point position off Anthony Ireland, who bowled well at times to finish with figures of 2-40.
Hurricane innings
Loots Bosman played a typical hurricane innings, smashing his way to 38 with two sixes and four fours before medium-pacer Piet Rinke rattled his stumps.
This was Rinke's second wicket in the same over, after he had bowled debutant Alviro Petersen for 20.
Bosman and Petersen had added 53 in double-quick time for the second wicket, and at the end Justin Kemp (28 not out) and JP Duminy (31 not out) were in full cry with an unfinished partnership of 47 in 31 minutes off 50 balls.
Kemp was dropped on nine by Utseya at mid-wicket off Ireland - an easy catch that popped in and out of the Zimbabwe captain's hands.
Kemp smashed a huge six over the long-on boundary off Ireland, followed by a four to spoil the medium-pacer's figures.
Proteas stand-in captain Jacques Kallis reached an important milestone, becoming the first cricketer to have scored over 8 000 runs and taken 200 wickets in both ODIs and Tests.
In the Zimbabwe innings the only meaningful contributions came from the number three batsman Chamu Chibhaba, who scored 38, and Elton Chigumbura, 30.
Lucky escape
The two added a steady 47 for the sixth wicket after five wickets had fallen for 73.
Towards the end of the innings a hard-hitting 24 not out from Utseya gave some substance to the innings as Zimbabwe toiled at about three to the over throughout.
Utseya and last man Ed Rainsford added 20 for the last wicket, including 13 off Shaun Pollock's last over.
Chibhabha had some fortune on seven when he played the ball onto his stumps in Andrew Hall's first over, but the bails failed to fall.
He then settled down to play a determined innings, but got bogged down somewhat in the twenties.
Opener Tafadzwa Mufambisi also batted well for his 21.
South African all-rounder Andrew Hall was named as man of the match for his steady bowling when he captured 3-23.
News source: www.news24.co.za
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