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After a promising performance in the first 'A' ODI against South Africa, normal service was resumed for Zim in the 2nd match on Saturday, as South Africa strolled to a comprehensive 8-wicket win to secure the series with one match still to play. After winning the toss and electing to bat, Zimbabwe were immediately in trouble as the top order - Stuart Matsikenyeri, Vusi Sibanda and Friday Kasteni - all failed to fire and left the home team struggling on 17/3. Sean Williams and Hamilton Masakadza produced the first - and only - signs of hope when they put on a stand of 63 for the 4th wicket before Williams was caught at midwicket, but it was all downhill from there as the brakes were firmly put on the scoring. Zim were finally bowled out in the 48th over, for a meagre 160. Alfonso Thomas was the best of the South African bowlers, with 3/26 from his 10 overs.

In reply, South Africa suffered an early setback with the loss of Loots Bosman fell for just two, but Morne van Wyk (60) and Alviro Petersen (87*) saw the visitors home with little in the way of real problems.

So once again it's a case of one step forward and two back for Zimbabwe. Here's hoping tomorrow's final match in the series will be an improvement. Check below the cut for the scorecard.

Zimbabwe A innings
V Sibanda 	b van der Wath 			2
S Matsikenyeri 	lbw b Morkel 			4
F Kasteni 	b Morkel 			9
H Masakadza 	lbw b Thomas 			46
SC Williams 	c Kemp b Langeveldt 		22
BRM Taylor 	lbw b Thomas 			13
E Chigumbura 	c van der Wath b Thomas 	15
KM Dabengwa 	run out 			11
GB Brent 	run out (Bosman) 		9
P Utseya 	b van der Wath 			5
TN Garwe 	not out 			5
	 Extras 	(lb 8, w 11) 		19 					
	 Total 	(all out; 47.1 overs) 		160 					

Fall of wickets: 1-6 (Matsikenyeri, 3.4 ov), 2-7 (Sibanda, 4.2 ov), 
3-17 (Kasteni, 7.2 ov), 4-80 (Williams, 22.5 ov), 
5-100 (Taylor, 28.6 ov), 6-122 (Masakadza, 34.1 ov), 
7-131 (Chigumbura, 38.2 ov), 8-145 (Brent, 42.4 ov), 
9-146 (Dabengwa, 43.3 ov), 10-160 (Utseya, 47.1 ov)
							
Bowling 	O 	M 	R 	W 	Econ 	
JJ van der Wath 6.1 	0 	19 	2 	3.08 	(1w)
JA Morkel 	6 	0 	22 	2 	3.66 	(3w)
CK Langeveldt 	8 	2 	21 	1 	2.62 	(1w)
R Telemachus 	7 	0 	29 	0 	4.14 	(1w)
RJ Peterson 	10 	0 	35 	0 	3.50 	(1nb, 1w)
AC Thomas 	10 	0 	26 	3 	2.60 	(2nb, 1w)



South Africa A innings
LL Bosman 	c Utseya b Garwe 		2
MN van Wyk 	run out (Sibanda) 		60
AN Petersen 	not out 			87
JL Ontong 	not out 			1
	    Extras 	(b 4, w 7, nb 3) 	14 					
	    Total 	(2 wickets; 38 overs) 	164 					

Did not bat: JM Kemp, JA Morkel, JJ van der Wath, RJ Peterson, 
R Telemachus, AC Thomas, CK Langeveldt

Fall of wickets: 1-10 (Bosman, 1.1 ov), 2-149 (van Wyk, 34.6 ov)

Bowling 	O 	M 	R 	W 	Econ 	
E Chigumbura 	5 	0 	26 	0 	5.20 	(3nb)
TN Garwe 	8 	1 	29 	1 	3.62 	(1w)
P Utseya 	10 	0 	33 	0 	3.30 	(5w)
GB Brent 	3 	0 	18 	0 	6.00 	(1w)
SC Williams 	4 	0 	20 	0 	5.00 	
KM Dabengwa 	8 	0 	34 	0 	4.25