da brwin： South Africa clinched the three-match one-day series against Zimbabwe withan easy 148-run victory in the second one-day international at Harare SportsClub
John Ward29-Sep-2001South Africa clinched the three-match one-day series against Zimbabwe withan easy 148-run victory in the second one-day international at Harare SportsClub.A good team effort, helped by some rather spineless Zimbabwe batting,gave them a two-nil lead, with the final match to be played tomorrow at thesame venue.It was another hot sunny day, and the pitch looked good enough for SouthAfrica to decide to bat on winning the toss, although one end had noticeablymore grass than the other. Situated on the other side of the square fromthe Test pitches, it yielded a little more pace.Zimbabwe made two changes to their team from Bulawayo. Captain HeathStreak, who had been nursing a back injury in the first match and paid theprice, had to withdraw and Guy Whittall took over the leadership. Streakwas replaced by the accurate medium-pacer Gary Brent, while Stuart Carlislecame in for Craig Wishart, who was ill. South Africa retained their winningteam.Travis Friend, bowling from the clubhouse end of the ground into the grassyend of the pitch, extracted some unusual bounce in his first over, but itdidn’t stop Gary Kirsten and Gibbs taking 12 from it, including a wide thatbounced above head-height and a hooked six by Gibbs.Gary Brent began withimpressive movement and accuracy, but Friend broke through with the wicketof Kirsten (10), who was surprised by the extra bounce and got a leadingedge that yielded a lobbed catch taken by the bowler himself.Gibbs and Jacques Kallis were determined to dominate and played someoutstanding strokes, although Kallis was missed off a hard chance to thirdman. He had scored 26 when Paul Strang came on to bowl, and immediatelychopped the first ball on to his stumps; South Africa 89 for two in the 17thover.It took an outstanding catch to remove Gibbs (69 off 77 balls), as Whittalldived full-length at midwicket to hold a low flick off his toes off adelivery from Strang; South Africa were 133 for three.Brent had retired with the honourable figures of 26 runs in eight overs; nowickets, but his accuracy might well have contributed to those at the otherend. Whittall replaced him to bowl with similar economy until Jonty Rhodesgot hold of him. He should have had Rhodes caught on the boundary, but itbounced off Alistair Campbell’s hands and went for six.Rhodes added 79 with McKenzie, reaching his fifty off 36 balls, before thelatter pulled Grant Flower straight to Mluleki Nkala on the midwicketboundary to depart for 40 in the 38th over. Rhodes (56) soon followed tothe same bowler, top-edging a sweep to be superbly caught by the divingStrang at fine leg.Flower did a fine restraining job, and medium-pacers Brent and Whittall werewisely given the final four overs. Pollock (15) fell to Whittall in similarmanner to McKenzie and then Klusener off the final delivery for 34. Theyfinished with 272 for seven wickets.Zimbabwe sprang a surprise by sending Strang in to open with Campbell,Ebrahim dropping to the middle-order position he finds more natural.Strang, in his unorthodox style, got after the bowling to score 19 out of 38before edging a catch to the keeper off Pollock.Masakadza (0) followed almost immediately, run out for the second timeagainst South Africa through inexperience, ambling through for a leg-bye andsurprised to be thrown out by Kallis at the bowler’s end.Campbell (21)then drove Kallis to mid-off; Makhaya Ntini, with a disappointing tour todate, caused Andy Flower (2) to chop a ball on to his stumps, and Zimbabwewere on their way out of the match at 50 for four.Stuart Carlisle and Grant Flower had to undertake a damage limitationexercise. Carlisle (31) played the more confidently of the two, but abrilliant diving catch far to his right by wicket-keeper Mark Boucherremoved him in the 25th over and left Zimbabwe needing a miracle at 94 forfive.It did not happen. Mutual hesitation with Ebrahim in the middle of a quicksingle led to the run-out of Flower for 20, while Whittall (0) tried to hitClaude Henderson against the spin to be caught in the gully. Ebrahim (15)was caught at slip off Henderson as Zimbabwe subsided peacefully for 124without much fight.