A haul of six wickets by Monde Zondeki saw South Africa to victory on the third day of the second Castle Lager/MTN Test against Zimbabwe at Supersport Park on Sunday. South Africa’s victory by an innings and 62 runs gave South Africa a two-nil series win.
Resuming on the overnight score of 380 for six, Ashwell Prince and Nicky Boje put on 100 runs in an hour and a half, before Boje was bowled by Graeme Cremer for 82, falling just three runs short of his highest score. Their partnership of 142 was a record for South Africa against Zimbabwe, and came up in two and a quarter
hours off 171 balls.
Graeme Smith declared the innings closed on 480 for seven when Boje’s wicket fell, setting Zimbabwe the target of 212 to make South Africa bat again.
Prince, playing his first Test innings for two years, made a maiden Test century, and was not out on 139. He was at the crease for nearly six hours and he faced 218 balls, scoring 18 fours and two sixes.
With less than half an hour to go before lunch, Zimbabwe were in trouble immediately. Zondeki struck with his first ball, when he had Barney Rogers caught by Mark Boucher for nought. Andre Nel picked up the wicket of Dion Ebrahim in the over before lunch, when Smith, who had dropped Stuart Matsikenyeri on five, made up for it with the next ball, when he caught Ebrahim for one.
Zondeki got right back into action immediately after lunch, when he bowled Matsikenyeri for five in his first over after the break.
Brendan Taylor was next to go, given out lbw to Zondeki for 6. Hamilton Masakadza and skipper Tatenda Taibu, who came together with the score on 29 for four, went some way to restoring respectability to the Zimbabwe innings with a partnership of 47 before Taibu was given out, caught behind by Boucher off Zondeki for 13. He may have been unlucky, as television replays indicated that his bat had not touched the ball.
Masakadza was next to go, caught by Boucher for 47. The former captain Heath Streak and Elton Chigumbura showed some defiance, putting on 58 runs for the seventh wicket before Streak misjudged a delivery from Jacques Kallis, and the ball went straight to Herschelle Gibbs to send Streak back on 16.
Streak’s departure started the final collapse — Chigumbura was out, caught Boucher off Nicky Boje three balls later, for 44. It was a breezy innings from the fast bowler which included eight fours.
Andy Blignaut lasted just nine minutes, and faced five balls before he was caught by Boucher off Kallis for a duck.
Zondeki was brought back into the attack, and got Graeme Cremer to top edge a ball to Boucher for a duck, giving Zondeki his sixth wicket, and Boucher his sixth catch. This was a national record, equalling Denis Lindsay’s, but it is the third time that Boucher has achieved this.
Although they were badly beaten, Zimbabwe showed a lot more resistance in the second Test, and can take heart from the performance of some of their players.
South Africa will be pleased to have an extra two days rest ahead of what is likely to be a grueling tour of the West Indies later this month. – Sapa