South Africa Dismantles Zimbabwe Inside Two Days In Historic Four-Day Test

Before the start of the first four-day Test, Zimbabwe skipper Graeme Cremer had said the shortened format “is a good thing, especially when the two teams aren’t ranked that close together”.

It, however, took South Africa less than two full days to prove Cremer wrong, as the Proteas dismantled their African neighbours in the historic contest at the Port Elizabeth. The game which was tipped to last all the four days continued little over four sessions with the formidable hosts stamping their authority over the sorry visitors.

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Riding on Morne Morkel’s five-wicket haul in the first innings and Keshav Maharaj’s fifer in the second, South Africa bowled Zimbabwe out for 68 and 121 in a combined 72.4 overs to win the one-off game by an innings and 120 runs.

Zimbabwe began the second day’s proceedings on a precarious 30 for four, and it took the Proteas only 19 balls to draw the first blood. Debutant Ryan Burl could only see his off stump getting knocked over when Morkel got one nipped back in from around the wicket. Four balls later, Morkel struck once again, this time dismissing Sikandar Raza to complete his seventh five-wicket haul in Tests.

With Raza, who has been their most consistent batsman this year, was back in the hut and the scoreboard reading 36 for six, as Zimbabwe were in danger of beating their lowest Test total of 51, but night-watchman Kyle Jarvis saved them the blushes by scoring 23. But Zimbabwe’s tail could not hold on for longer, and they were all out for a paltry 68.

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Zimbabwe seemed to have learned their lessons from the first innings, as they began the second one on a better note, not losing any wicket in 13 overs before tea. The visitors, however, were given a tough time by the South Africa pacers in the initial overs. Hamilton Masakadza was retired hurt after being hit on the elbow by Morkel which brought Craig Ervine to the crease.

Ervine and Chamu Chibhabha batted bravely, helping their side to cross the 50-run mark unscathed before Kagiso Rabada dismissed the latter. A 21-run stand between Ervine and former skipper Brendon Taylor then seemed to have revived Zimbabwe’s fortunes before the floodgates opened when the latter’s reverse-sweep ricocheted off the pad before being brilliantly taken by Hashim Amla at slip. Five runs later, half the Zimbabwe side was back in the hut, and the rot did not stop until the full team got dismissed for 121. Spinner Keshav Maharaj inflicted the bulk of the damage, taking five for 59.

Brief scores: South Africa 309 for nine dec (Markram 125, de Villiers 53, Jarvis 3-57, Mpofu 3-58) beat Zimbabwe 68 (Jarvis 23, Morkel 5-21, Rabada 2-12, Phehlukwayo 2-12) and 121 (Ervine 23, Maharaj 5-59, Phehlukwayo 3-13) by an innings and 120 runs.