South Africa topple http://www.senore.com/Cricket/Zimbabwe-c3045 to record series win
Hosts South Africa recorded a comfortable 8 wicket win over neighbouring Zimbabwe in the second ODI to take an unassailable 2-0 lead in the three match series.
The match was played at Potchefstroom and it was another comfortable win for the hosts despite a solid batting performance by the minnows of international cricket.
Batting first after winning the toss the Zimbabweans were indebted to a fine knock by former captain http://www.senore.com/Cricket/Tatenda-Taibu-c92882 that took them to a fighting total of 268 runs in the allotted fifty overs.
The tourists were off to a solid start with Brendon http://www.senore.com/Cricket/Taylor-c92915, who had scored a century in the first match of the series adding 59 with Chibhabha.
However, they were pegged back as with the addition of a solitary run three wickets fell and from 59 for no loss the tourists were reeling at 60/3.
Taylor, Chibhabha and http://www.senore.com/Cricket/Williams-c98034 all fell to catches behind the stumps by wicket-keeper DeVilliers.
http://www.senore.com/Cricket/JP-Duminy-c1742 bowled him.
Taibu and Ervine then added 48 runs for the fifth wicket stand. They were eyeing a total in excess of 250 runs when Ervine fell.
Ervine was sent packing by Charl Langeveldt after making 27 off 38 balls, Zimbabwe captain http://www.senore.com/Cricket/Elton-Chigumbura-c55937 failed to make the most of the situation as he departed for a mere 13 runs.
Taibu was dismissed for 78 runs off 90 balls, the diminutive stroke player struck 4 fours and 1 six in his innings.
Dabengwa along with http://www.senore.com/Cricket/Prosper-Utseya-c82728 provided the fireworks at the end of the innings. The two scored 28 and 23 runs each to take the Zimbabweans to a total of 268 runs in the allotted overs.
Rusty Theron captured five wickets in only his second ODI for http://www.senore.com/Cricket/South-Africa-c757.
The confident Proteas started their chase positively with skipper Graeme Smith and Hashim Amla making the most of the inexperienced Zimbabwean attack.
The two added 84 runs in 13 overs, Smith was the first to go he was taken by Dabengwa of Chigumbura for 40 runs that came off 41 balls and included five hits to the fence.
After breaking the opening stand the Africans hoped of making further inroads in the South African line-up. However, it was not to be the case.
Amla, who had also scored a hundred in the opening match of the series, found AB DeVilliers an able ally and the two motored along towards the target.
Amla played some typically delightful drives, cuts and flicks to please the crowd. The bearded right hander was the first one to reach the three figures.
His century came off a mere 97 balls and included as many as 10 boundaries.
His partnership with DeVilliers yielded 139 runs. The stand was broken when http://www.senore.com/Cricket/Hamilton-Masakadza-c61354 accounted for Amla when he was on 110.
DeVilliers and Duminy had little trouble in knocking off the remaining runs. The winning runs came off a six by DeVilliers, which also took the right hander to the three figures mark.
DeVilliers’s 100 arrived in a mere 72 balls, he struck 5 fours and 5 sixes in his stroke filled batting display.
The match ended in the 39th over, which demonstrated the comprehensive manner in which the Proteas won over their un-fancied rivals.
Rusty Theron was named man-of-the-match for his outstanding bowling effort on a batting wicket.
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