Zimbabwe v South Africa – Zimbabwe Twenty20 Triangular Series (Final) – Match Recap – Zimbabwe secure series win with 9-wicket victory over http://www.senore.com/Cricket/South-Africa-c757
Riding on the strength of half centuries from skipper http://www.senore.com/Cricket/H-Masakadza-c1517, Zimbabwe were crowned champions of the unofficial Twenty20 Triangular Series after a historic 9-wicket victory over South Africa at the Harare Sports Club on June
24.
The Rhodesians have only beaten South Africa twice before in two ODIs, played in 1999 and 2000-01. The recently wrapped-up T20 series was an unofficial event, intended to serve as practice for the teams involved prior to the http://www.senore.com/Cricket/ICC-World-Cup-2011-c100625 World T20 scheduled for September
this year in http://www.senore.com/Cricket/Sri-Lanka-c758 – nevertheless, the taste of glory against the Proteas is bound to do wonders for Zimbabwe’s confidence in the international event.
Put to field first after losing the toss, http://www.senore.com/Cricket/Taylor-c92915. However, South Africa put forth a disappointing performance which saw their
top order fall cheaply, before http://www.senore.com/Cricket/Faf-du-Plessis-c1427 stepped in to rally his side. They managed a total of 146, but their bowlers were lacklustre, and unable to attack or defend effectively.
The start of the visitors’ innings was far from ideal. Opener http://www.senore.com/Cricket/CB-Mpofu-c1219.
http://www.senore.com/Cricket/Dane-Vilas-c1307 (2) also fell without much of a fight. By the 12th over South Africa were at 67 for 5, but du
Plessis proved to be the saving grace of the South Africans’ innings.
Contributing a solid 66 off 57, the right-hander teamed up with http://www.senore.com/Cricket/JA-Morkel-c1613 (34*) to set up a 6th-wicket 60-run stand, which got their side up to 127 by the 19th over. Du Plessis was then dismissed after being caught out by Masakadza
off Jarvis (who finished as the host team’s top wicket-taker, with 2 for 22), after which http://www.senore.com/Cricket/WD-Parnell-c2787 and Morkel enabled the Proteas to finish at 146 by the end of 20 overs.
Zimbabwe got off to a solid start, with Masakadza and http://www.senore.com/Cricket/V-Sibanda-c2740 opening for their side. Their partnership yielded 32 runs, but the rampaging Sibanda, who scored 23 off 15 deliveries (including 3 fours), was quickly stifled by the Proteas, with Chris Morris
sending him packing in the 4th over.
From there onwards, however, Zimbabwe were invincible. Masakadza went on to score 58 – his fourth half-century of the tournament, which won him the Player of the Series award. Skipper Taylor was equally impressive, winning the Player of the Match award owing
to an individual score of 59, which formed half of his unbeaten 118-run partnership with Masakadza.
The tourists’ bowlers were unable to restrict the run flow, with http://www.senore.com/Cricket/LL-Tsotsobe-c1842 was similarly ineffective,
giving away 43 in 4 overs.
While the Proteas’ defeat offers them an opportunity for self-reflection before they go into their upcoming tour of http://www.senore.com/Cricket/England-c56013 next month, Zimbabwe’s victory brings them out into the limelight as they prepare for a repeat of their performances during the upcoming
ICC World T20 in September.
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