zimcricketnews.com

Since I'm writing this & the 3rd ODI up a week after the event, I'm not going to go into a huge amount of detail here - I'm sure most of you will have read the match bulletins elsewhere. Zimbabwe's batsmen finally turned up to the party in this match, with Taylor, Taibu, Williams and Matsikenyeri all making welcome contributions - although Sibanda and (to a lesser extent) Masakadza were both disappointing. The bowling attack unfortunately gave South Africa few problems, allowing Gibbs to claim a century with Smith falling just short on 96, and the Proteas reaching their target with 10 overs and 8 wickets to spare. Not an embarrasment, but not exactly the ideal result either. Full scorecard below the cut, as usual.
Zimbabwe 247/7 (50 overs; Williams 54, Steyn 3/65), South Africa 251/2 (39.1 overs; Gibbs 111, Williams 1/10). South Africa win by 8 wickets, win series 2-0 with 1 to play.

Zimbabwe innings
H Masakadza	c de Villiers b M Morkel	        29
V Sibanda	c de Villiers b Ntini	                5
BRM Taylor	c Gibbs b Steyn	                        44
T Taibu	        c Philander b JA Morkel	                43
SC Williams	c de Villiers b Steyn	                54
S Matsikenyeri	b Steyn	                                52
E Chigumbura	b M Morkel	                        4
KM Dabengwa	not out	                                1
GB Brent	not out	                                2
    Extras	(lb 3, w 6, nb 4)	                13
    Total	(7 wickets; 50 overs; 228 mins)         247

Did not bat: P Utseya, CB Mpofu 

Fall of wickets: 1-12 (Sibanda, 5.5 ov), 2-47 (Masakadza, 15.4 ov), 
3-106 (Taibu, 26.4 ov), 4-147 (Taylor, 34.2 ov), 
5-231 (Williams, 47.1 ov), 6-238 (Chigumbura, 48.5 ov), 
7-245 (Matsikenyeri, 49.5 ov)

Bowling	        O	M	R	W	Econ	
SM Pollock	10	2	25	0	2.50	
M Ntini	        7	0	27	1	3.85	
M Morkel	10	0	39	2	3.90	(3nb, 3w)
DW Steyn	10	1	65	3	6.50	(2w)
VD Philander	3	0	18	0	6.00	
JA Morkel	8	1	51	1	6.37	(1nb)
JP Duminy	2	0	19	0	9.50	(1w)


South Africa innings (target: 248 runs from 50 overs)
GC Smith	c Taibu b Utseya	                96
HH Gibbs	c Utseya b Williams	                111
JP Duminy	not out	                                24
AB de Villiers	not out	                                0
    Extras	(lb 2, w 18)	                        20
    Total	(2 wickets; 39.1 overs; 165 mins)	251

Did not bat: LL Bosman, SM Pollock, VD Philander, JA Morkel, M Morkel, 
DW Steyn, M Ntini 

Fall of wickets: 1-174 (Smith, 28.2 ov), 2-246 (Gibbs, 37.6 ov)

Bowling	        O	M	R	W	Econ	
CB Mpofu	8	0	42	0	5.25	(3w)
GB Brent	8	0	57	0	7.12	(3w)
E Chigumbura	7	0	40	0	5.71	(3w)
P Utseya	9	0	63	1	7.00	(1w)
KM Dabengwa	5	0	37	0	7.40	
SC Williams	2.1	0	10	1	4.61