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The Proteas during a match.
The South African cricket team has wrapped up the second test against Zimbabwe in Bulawayo inside three days for a 2-0 series clean sweep. The Proteas have recorded a victory by an innings and 236 runs in the second Test match against Zimbabwe at the Queens Sports Club.
The Zimbabweans were bowled out for 220 in the second innings, before tea on Day 3.
Zimbabwe resumed their second innings on 50 for the loss of one wicket on the morning of Day 3, trailing by 405 runs. The host’s top order batsmen were patient and composed and looked to take the game to the Proteas bowlers.
And it was a decent session of play for them as they lost two wickets, that of Kaitano for 40 and Sean Williams for 11. But they added 92 more runs to their total thanks to a half century from Nick Welch, going to the lunch break fighting on 143 for three.
It was shortly after the interval when the wheels again came off the Zimbabwean’s innings. Welch’s departure for 55 seemed to spark a batting collapse. They lost their next six wickets for the addition of just 31 runs.
Seamer Corbin Bosch was once again the destroyer in chief, finishing with figures of four for 38.
Wellington Masakadza and Tanaka Chivanga frustrated the South Africans with a defiant 10 wicket stand, scoring 36 runs but that only just delayed the inevitable for the hosts.
Spinner Senuran Muthusamy took the final scalp, accounting for Chicvanga for 22, as Zimbabwe were bundled out for 220, handing the reigning World Test Champions an emphatic victory by an innings and 236 runs and a 2-0 series victory and their 10th straight Test triumph.
Naturally Wiaan Mulder, with his unbeaten 367 runs and three wickets, in this match earned both the man of the match and the series awards.
“I just want to play man, whatever role, shucks, and whoever really makes those decisions have in mind for me. That’s what I try to fulfil. I think we are going to the sub-continent next from here. So, my role might change a little bit, who knows? The most important thing for me is to play and represent my country the best I can, yeah. I think a lot of guys put up their hands, some like Codi who plays at domestic level know,” says Mulder.
The Proteas’ next Test assignment will only be in November this year – a two-match series against India in India. The white-ball team will, however, be in action next week in a one-off T20 International tournament featuring Zimbabwe and New Zealand in Harare.
