South Africa defeated Zimbabwe for the third time in eight days, with victory margins ranging from seven wickets to 43 runs and culminating in a 48-run win in the final. Given that this is an experimental South African side, Zimbabwe will have plenty to ponder regarding their development.
For the second time in three days, South Africa posted a total above 200, doing so without the series’ joint-leading run-scorer Lhuan-dre Pretorius, who was sidelined with a groin injury. They instead relied on an 84-run opening stand between Connor Esterhuizen and Jordan Hermann and a 47-run fifth-wicket partnership between Rubin Hermann and Dewald Brevis, whose 32 saw him join Pretorius atop the run charts.
Zimbabwe’s seamers found the going tough, best illustrated by Blessing Muzarabani’s return. He was economical, conceding just 25 runs in four overs, but went wicketless for the first time in the series. Newman Nyamhuri and Brad Evans claimed two wickets each.
In the chase, Zimbabwe were out of it before they had even really begun. They were reduced to 25 for 4 in the fourth over and 57 for 6 in the ninth, staring at one of their lowest totals in the format. By the time Brad Evans and Kundai Matigumu put together a 52-run ninth-wicket stand, it was too late. Evans had the consolation of a career-best 56* with the bat, adding to his 10 wickets in the series, but Zimbabwe needed more than his contribution to compete.
South Africa, who had collective efforts throughout, could be satisfied with a bowling performance that saw Eathan Bosch, Duan Jansen, Bjorn Fortuin, Prenelan Subrayen and Kwena Maphaka among the wickets.
Hermann Hits First Half-Century
After three scores without passing 30 at the top of the order, Jordan Hermann was moved to No. 6 in the last match. Pretorius’ absence gave him another opportunity to show what he could do opening. Hermann is known for his strong leg-side play and that was on display again when he dispatched a short ball from Wessly Madhevere wide of mid-on for his first boundary, off the fourth ball of the innings. That remained his preferred area as he played the pick-up shot off Newman Nyamhuri for six over fine leg, and then midwicket.
But Hermann also showed glimpses of his offside game with twin fours off Brad Evans, through mid-off and cover point, before going back to his favoured area for a hat-trick of boundaries off Matigimu. He reached his fifty off 24 balls in the eighth over before his pull shot let him down when Evans’ changed pace and he skied a slower ball wide of long-on, where Ryan Burl pouched a stunner.
Brad Evans hit his maiden T20I fifty•Cricket Namibia
Evans Takes Top Spot… Temporarily
Evans’ first wicket came in the middle of a period in which Zimbabwe took 3 for 38 runs to put the brakes on South Africa, but with Brevis still out there, Zimbabwe would have known big runs were more probable than possible. Brevis latched onto anything even a fraction short. Zimbabwe did well to adjust their plans and bowl fuller and wider to Brevis to try and take the pull shot out of the equation, but it meant they had to do more work to protect the offside.
Brevis was on 32 off 22 balls and had just laced Evans through mid-on, when Evans delivered another on fifth stump and Brevis tried to go over the off-side. He did not get enough on the shot and was caught by Sikandar Raza at long-off. That took Evans’ wicket tally to 10 in five matches in the series and the top of the bowlers’ charts.
He topped up on that achievement with his highest score in the format, and showed his impeccable use of the feet. Evans’ batting is characterised by making room to hit through the offside, and hanging back deep to smash over the leg-side, and all his boundaries were scored square of the wicket. He made his case to bat higher.
Before Jansen Overtakes Him
Zimbabwe lost Ben Curran for a first-ball duck as Bosch ended a short stretch of two wicket-less games to add to his tally, but the chase was always going to be about how they handled the extra pace and bounce from Jansen. The answer was quickly revealed as not well.
Duan Jansen struck twice in the powerplay•Cricket Namibia
Innocent Kaia sent Jansen over mid-wicket for four but then looked increasingly uncomfortable against the short ball and eventually fell to one, from Bosch. Jansen got his first wicket with a bit of a bluff as he went full and slow, Brian Bennett shuffled across to scoop and edged to Esterhuizen. In his next over, it was conventional Jansen and Madhevere toe-ended a pull to deep backward square. Jansen had to wait until the final passage of play, when Blessing Muzarabani tried to take him on and sliced the ball to Fortuin at cover. With 11 wickets, Jansen finished as the series’ leading wicket-taker.
Fortuin Favours the Brave
South Africa’s stand-in captain Fortuin picked up a career-best with this 4 for 24 against Zimbabwe at the start of the month and turned in another impressive showing in the final. After his quicks did the damage upfront, Fortuin brought himself on to bowl the eighth over, with Zimbabwe 51 for 4. He made that 51 for 5 with this second ball as Ryan Burl swung hard, missed and was bowled.
Even though Zimbabwe were facing a big defeat, they did not change their approach and Raza was next to play a loose shot against Fortuin. Raza went after a loopy delivery and seemed to have slapped it past extra cover but Jordan Hermann flung himself leftward and hung on to a good catch. Nyamhuri also wanted to take Fortuin on but skied him to long-on, where Bosch judged the catch well. Fortuin finished level with Evans, on 10 wickets.
