Ken Borland

There is clearly plenty of work still to do for South Africa in T20 cricket as they slumped to a 29-run defeat at the hands of Zimbabwe in their Pran RFL Triangular Series match at Harare Sports Club on Wednesday.

 – http://www.supersport.com/cricket/sa-team/news/120620/Plenty_of_work_to_do_for_SA

South Africa’s back-up attack is a worry as they conceded 176 for four after Zimbabwe chose to bat first; and the home attack then sent out a clear warning that spinners and bowlers who take the pace off are still a major threat for the South African batsmen as they bowled them out for 147.

Richard Levi had given South Africa a solid start with his 40 off 28 balls, but his soft dismissal, pulling off-spinner Prosper Utseya to cow-corner, and the decision to move Justin Ontong (4) and Dane Vilas (0) up the order proved costly as the tourists slumped from 73 for one after eight overs to 91 for five just four overs later.

Colin Ingram, who was dropped first ball by Vusi Sibanda, scored a defiant 48 off 39 balls, but when Sibanda caught him at deep mid-off off the bowling of the superb Christopher Mpofu in the 18th over, it was all over for South Africa.

Hashim Amla (11) still looked in prime form as he collected two boundaries off Kyle Jarvis in the second over, but in the next over, he tried to drive Mpofu on the up and could only sky a catch into the hands of the back-pedalling Hamilton Masakadza.

Mpofu had Ingram dropped at square-leg by Sibanda in the fifth over but took a break with excellent figures of one for 14 in three overs.

But Jarvis continued to leak runs at the other end, going for 28 in two, and South Africa were in charge until the introduction of spinners Graeme Cremer and Prosper Utseya.

Utseya removed Levi and Cremer then heaped more pressure on the South Africans by dismissing Ontong – off a cramped drive – and Vilas, who tried to cut a big-turning googly and chopped on, with successive deliveries in the 10th over.

Cremer struck again in his next over with the even bigger scalp of JP Duminy (6). The left-hander also fell to the googly, which Cremer almost turns more than his stock leg-break, and was so far down the pitch that wicketkeeper Brendan Taylor could afford three attempts to complete the stumping!

Ingram and Albie Morkel found ways to score off Cremer, though, as they gave South Africa a chance, taking 15 runs off the leg-spinner in the 14th over, to leave the visitors needing 63 off six overs to win.

Morkel had hit Cremer a long way for six but then found a frustrating way to get out as he bottom-edged a cut at a very wide delivery from Richard Muzhange and was caught behind for 10.

Muzhange was brilliant at the death, taking two for 16 in three overs, but no one bowled better than Mpofu, who finished with three for 20, removing the dangerous Robin Peterson (13) and Ingram in the 18th over.

Cremer finished with three for 29 and Utseya one for 27 in four overs as Zimbabwe pulled off one of their most famous victories.

Half-centuries by both opening batsmen had been the key feature as Zimbabwe posted a fine 176 for four.

South Africa again produced a mediocre bowling display and a messy performance in the field and will have to chase down a testing target on a pitch that is offering turn and grip for the slower balls.

Zimbabwe won the toss and batted and openers Sibanda and Masakadza immediately had the South African bowlers under pressure as they breezed to 38 without loss in five overs.

It just got worse for the visitors as Sibanda and Masakadza reached 50 in the seventh over and raised their century partnership after just 12 overs.

Perhaps one shouldn’t expect miracles just a day after their disappointing first match against Bangladesh, but the South African bowlers once again failed to build pressure, bowling towards the leg-side too often and not stacking up dot balls.

Sibanda and Masakadza eventually added 114 for the first wicket before Masakadza tried to slog-sweep left-arm spinner Peterson, who held the ball back and was rewarded with a catch at cow-corner.

Masakadza, powerful and lethal on the leg side, scored 55 off 39 balls, with five fours and a six.

Sibanda enjoyed himself until the 16th over, hammering four fours and two sixes in his 58 off 50 balls before Parnell had him caught at deep backward point in the 16th over.

The over was an eventful one, also featuring a dropped catch on the boundary by Levi, a four and another wicket when Elton Chigumbura mistimed a pull off the left-arm seamer to be caught off the first ball he faced.

Captain Taylor, dropped by Ontong on the midwicket boundary off Morkel on six, was the star of the closing overs, joining in on the feast as he bashed three fours and two sixes in lashing 38 off 21 balls. His innings ensured Zimbabwe posted a testing target after a very promising start.

Taylor fell to the first ball of the final over when he somehow managed to glove what should have been a free hit at a wretched short ball down leg from Marchant de Lange to wicketkeeper Dane Vilas, who took a good catch diving forward.

Peterson enjoyed bowling on a pitch that suited him, finishing with one for 29 in his four overs, while Morkel (3-0-26-0) and De Lange, in a final over that cost just seven runs, did well when called upon to bowl at the most inconvenient times.

South Africa staged one of their habitual batting collapses as they were bowled out for 147 and lost to Zimbabwe by 29 runs in their Pran RFL T20 Triangular Series match at Harare Sports Club on Wednesday.

20th over – WICKET – Lonwabo Tsotsobe swings across a full, straight delivery from Kyle Jarvis and is bowled for one.

19th over – WICKET – Marchant de Lange misses a loose drive at a Richard Muzhange yorker and is bowled for three.

18th over – Christopher Mpofu settles the outcome with two wickets in another outstanding over. WICKET – Robin Peterson falls for 13 to the first ball of the over as he tries to slog-sweep another Mpofu slower ball, but can only sky it straight upwards, the bowler himself taking the catch. Mpofu rather foolishly bowls a short ball with fine leg up and Colin Ingram pulls it behind square for four. WICKET – All hope is gone now for South Africa as Ingram tries to heave yet another slower ball straight down the ground, but can only sky it to deep mid-on, where Vusi Sibanda hangs on to the catch this time! Ingram’s 48 off 39 balls was a defiant but ultimately unsuccessful effort.
17th over – Muzhange spoils an outstanding over with a last-ball full toss which Ingram muscles straight down the ground for six.

16th over – Clever batting by Peterson brings 10 runs off the last three balls of Jarvis’s over. The left-hander shovels a good full ball between long-on and cow-corner for his first boundary and then ends the over with a brave scoop from off-stump, behind the wicket and away to the boundary.

15th over – WICKET – Muzhange returns and claims the wicket of the dangerous Albie Morkel with his first ball back! It’s a rank bad ball that does the trick, though, as the left-handed Morkel bottom-edges a cut at a very wide delivery and is caught behind for 10.

14th over – Cremer’s figures take a battering in his final over which costs 15 runs. Morkel starts the over by easing a straight drive majestically for six, before the leg-spinner pitches too short and is pulled fine for four by Ingram, who then drives crisply through wide mid-on for four more.

12th over – Cremer strikes again! WICKET – JP Duminy (6) runs down the pitch and past a Cremer googly. The left-hander is so far down the track that wicketkeeper Brendan Taylor can afford to fumble the ball, drop it, fumble again and then only effect the stumping on the third attempt! A key wicket though for Zimbabwe.

11th over – Colin Ingram strikes back with a sweetly-struck sweep for six off Prosper Utseya.

10th over – Two wickets in two balls for Cremer! WICKET – Justin Ontong (4) uses his feet but he ends up chipping a cramped drive to Utseya at cover. WICKET – Dane Vilas then tries to cut his first ball, but it’s a big-turning googly and he ends up chopping the ball on to his stumps!

9th over – WICKET – Utseya gets the key wicket, rather gifted to him by Richard Levi, who just plonks a short-arm pull into the hands of Craig Ervine at cow-corner. Levi played some great shots though in his 40 off 28 balls.

7th over – Medium-pacer Muzhange comes on and Levi launches a no-ball straight out of the ground for a magnificent six! The free hit brings just a single as Muzhange finds the blockhole.

6th over – Off-spinner Utseya comes on but Ingram collects four runs off his second delivery with a beautifully-timed late-cut. Utseya ends the over with a full toss, which Ingram bashes down the ground for four more.

5th over – Ingram is dropped first ball as he tries to pull a bouncer outside off stump from Mpofu and Sibanda drops a sitter running in to square-leg! Poor Mpofu then concedes a boundary off the last ball of the over via a nifty leg-glance by Levi.

4th over – Jarvis is surprisingly kept on and goes even worse as Levi gets stuck into him. Levi effortlessly slog-sweeps a one-bounce four, drives a low full toss crisply through extra cover for another four and then strokes a six over long-on.

3rd over – WICKET – Mpofu’s impressive start continues with a wicket! Hashim Amla tries to drive on the up again, this time over mid-on, but skews a slower-ball up in the air and Hamilton Masakadza takes a good back-pedalling catch. Amla is out for 11 off seven balls.

2nd over – Jarvis undoes the fine work done by Mpofu in the first over as he concedes 14 runs, including three boundaries through the covers – two by Amla and one by Levi.

Zimbabwe innings

Zimbabwe’s top three were in the groove as they steered them to 176 for four in their Twenty20 Triangular Series match against South Africa at the Harare Sports Club on Wednesday.

20th over – A lucky start to the final over for Marchant de Lange as his first ball is a wretched, short delivery down leg and Brendan Taylor somehow manages to glove it to wicketkeeper Dane Vilas, who takes a good catch diving forward. Captain Taylor’s 38 off 21 balls ensured a great finish for the innings though.

19th over – Full and wide from Albie Morkel and Taylor just chips it straight back over his head for four.

18th over – Superb batting by Taylor! Wayne Parnell bowls a half-volley which the Zimbabwe captain short-arm punches over long-on for a magnificently-timed six. Taylor then bashes a short ball and a full delivery through the covers for boundaries!

17th over – A good over from Morkel is spoilt as Taylor’s pull-drive off the last ball flies to deep midwicket, where Justin Ontong drops the catch and spills the ball over the boundary for six!

16th over – An eventful Parnell over! His first ball is driven very high back over his head by Vusi Sibanda and Richard Levi drops a steepling catch! Parnell drops the next ball short and Sibanda smashes a pull shot through midwicket for four. WICKET – But two balls later, Sibanda tries to heave the left-arm seamer leg-side, but can only slice a catch high to Lonwabo Tsotsobe at deep backward point. Sibanda’s 58 off 50 balls as been a really useful innings, but he’s out at a bad time for Zimbabwe. WICKET – Parnell claims a second wicket with the last ball of the over as Elton Chigumbura pulls his first ball, but mistimes it to Colin Ingram at deep midwicket.

14th over – WICKET – The fantastic opening stand is eventually broken on 114 as Masakadza skies a slog-sweep off Robin Peterson to Colin Ingram at cow-corner. Left-arm spinner Peterson held that delivery back well. Masakadza’s 55 off 39 balls was a mighty fine innings though!

13th over – Parnell is introduced for the first time and drags a slower-ball down leg, Sibanda whipping it through backward square-leg for four.

12th over – The part-time spin of Justin Ontong is employed, but the gamble doesn’t pay off as 14 runs come from the over. Two attempted leg-breaks come out as long-hops and are spanked for four through the covers and six over long-on by Masakadza.

11th over – Tsotsobe returns but Masakadza plays an expert paddle-sweep to collect four runs past short fine-leg.

10th over – Sibanda breaks the boundary-drought as he leans back and launches Peterson straight over long-off for a majestic six!

5th over – De Lange’s first ball of his second over is too full and Sibanda lambasts it through the covers for another boundary. Four balls later, it’s stand and deliver from Masakadza as he swats the fast bowler over wide long-on for four more.

4th over – Tsotsobe overpitches and Sibanda drives the ball superbly straight back over the bowler’s head for four.

3rd over – De Lange starts with a short ball outside off stump and Masakadza cracks it for four with a beautiful back-foot square-drive.

2nd over – Sibanda steps forward and heaves Tsotsobe high and handsome over backward square-leg for a big six!

1st over – Masakadza edges a turning delivery from Peterson just short of Albie Morkel lunging at slip, but ends the over well with a confident sweep shot for four.