OWN CORRESPONDENT, Durban | Wednesday 6.10pm.
SOUTH Africa produced a late charge to set Zimbabwe a target of 223 in their triangular series limited-overs match at Kingsmead in Durban.
The South Africans started well, but a huge collapse saw them in desperate trouble on 112/6 before Klusener and Jacques Kallis produced a partnership of 82 runs to steer them to safety.
Klusener ended the innings on 65 not-out, while Shaun Pollock was at the crease on 14, with the South African score on 222/7.
Kallis was dismissed for 52, caught in excellent fashion by Craig Wishart off the bowling of Gary Brent.
Earlier, Mark Boucher was dismissed for eight runs, caught by Neil Johnson off Gary Brent. The South African wicketkeeper chipped a slower delivery from straight to Johnson for a simple catch.
Jonty Rhodes was caught by Brent on the boundary off the bowling of Johnson for 13.
Johnson made the most of conditions, earlier dismissing Hansie Cronje for 10 runs. The former Natalian was severely punished in his first three overs, but has come back with a bang, having the South African skipper caught behind by Andy Flower.
Twenty runs earlier debutante Neil McKenzie was caught by Stuart Carlisle off the bowling of paceman Heath Streak for seven runs.
Henry Olonga claimed the wickets of both the South African openers, dismissing Herschelle Gibbs for 20 and Louis Koen for 19.
Koen slashed at a wide delivery outside off-stump and was caught by Murray Goodwin, while Gibbs was first to go, caught behind by Andy Flower off an outside edge.
Cronje won the toss and elected to bat at an overcast and humid Kingsmead.
SA:
HH Gibbs c A Flower b Olonga 20
LJ Koen c Goodwin b Olonga 19
JH Kallis c Wishart b Brent 52
ND McKenzie c Carlisle b Streak 7
*WJ Cronje c A Flower b Johnson 10
JN Rhodes c Brent b Johnson 13
+MV Boucher c Johnson b Brent 8
L Klusener not out 65
SM Pollock not out 14
Extras (b 1, lb 1, w 11, nb 1) 14
Total (7 wickets, 50 overs) 222