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South Africa vs Zimbabwe, One-off Test Match Summary

SA vs ZIM, 2017 - Test Summary

South Africa vs Zimbabwe Scorecard
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Match Ended   
St George's Park, Port Elizabeth , Dec 26, 2017
South Africa South Africa
309/9d
Zimbabwe Zimbabwe
68&121 (42.3)
South Africa beat Zimbabwe by an innings and 120 runs
  • Player of the Match
    Aiden Markram
SA 309/9
Bat Top Batsmen
<a href=/cricket/players/64634-aiden-kyle-markram-playerprofile>Aiden Markram</a>
Aiden Markram
125 (204)
  • 14x4s
  • 2x6s
  • 61.27SR
<a href=/cricket/players/699-ab-de-villiers-playerprofile>AB de Villiers</a>
AB de Villiers
53 (65)
  • 5x4s
  • 1x6s
  • 81.53SR
Bowl Top Bowlers
Bowler
Kyle Jarvis
ECON 3.16
18
OVERS
57/3
R/W
Bowler
Chris Mpofu
ECON 4.29
13.3
OVERS
58/3
R/W
ZIM 68/10
Bat Top Batsmen
<a href=/cricket/players/1050-kyle-jarvis-playerprofile>Kyle Jarvis</a>
Kyle Jarvis
23 (50)
  • 3x4s
  • 0x6s
  • 46SR
<a href=/cricket/players/51221-ryan-ponsonby-burl-playerprofile>Ryan Burl</a>
Ryan Burl
16 (35)
  • 3x4s
  • 0x6s
  • 45.71SR
Bowl Top Bowlers
Bowler
Morne Morkel
ECON 1.90
11
OVERS
21/5
R/W
Bowler
Kagiso Rabada
ECON 1.94
6.1
OVERS
12/2
R/W
ZIM 121/10
Bat Top Batsmen
<a href=/cricket/players/1471-craig-ervine-playerprofile>Craig Ervine</a>
Craig Ervine
23 (58)
  • 2x4s
  • 1x6s
  • 39.65SR
<a href=/cricket/players/685-graeme-cremer-playerprofile>Graeme Cremer</a>
Graeme Cremer
18 (37)
  • 4x4s
  • 0x6s
  • 48.64SR
Bowl Top Bowlers
Bowler
Keshav Maharaj
ECON 3.37
17.3
OVERS
59/5
R/W
Bowler
Andile Phehlukwayo
ECON 1.85
7
OVERS
13/3
R/W
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Right then! The 4-day Test ends much earlier than anticipated! Mostly everyone expected the result but perhaps not the mauling. Zimbabwe have just been disposed off with disdain while South Africa will take a lot of confidence from this game into the India series. That ends the coverage of this game from our side. Wishing you a very happy and prosperous 2018 in advance but would request you to check what is going on in the Ashes and whether Windies can prove a match for the Kiwis in the shortest format. ADIOS! TAKE CARE!
MAN OF THE MATCH, AIDEN MARKRAM says he is happy but looks pretty much composed while speaking. Stresses that it was a very difficult wicket to bat and hence it is very satisfying to score a century on that wicket. On his innings, he feels that it has enriched his character. Playing a long innings strengthens you and improves patience and that was his goal, he says. Agrees that it did get a bit easier after playing a few balls but honestly admits that HE NEVER FELT IN. Is eagerly waiting to face India as it is an opportunity to test oneself against the best team in the world. Says that he is very excited to play that series but honestly, Pommie Mbangwa looked more excited while asking the questions. Really modest guy, this Markram. Great to see.
Victorious South African skipper AB DE VILLIERS says that he is very happy with the result but would have liked to score more runs, personally and also for the team. Is thrilled to feature again in Tests. On his back issue, AB confidently says that he is fine. On Quinton de Kock's hamstring injury, de Villiers hopes that he will be fit for the first Indian Test. The scans do not reveal too much damage, he says. Is not too happy with the fact that they could get only two days of cricket but reckons that majority of the players would be fit for the upcoming Indian series, especially Faf du Plessis. Praises his bowlers for being very consistent and not letting the opposition get away at all. Hopes that they make good use of this break and come out fresh for the Indian series. Admits that a batting collapse is not what the Proteas would have wanted but is confident that they will do better against India. On playing a day-night Test, AB de Villiers feels that the night session is probably the most difficult and hence the most important session of the game. Plus the condition and colour of the ball are challenging too. But adds that once the players get used to all these factors, day-night Tests will get easier to play as well.
Visibly, Zimbabwean captain GRAEME CREMER is very disappointed. He says that they knew it was always going to be tough after playing the warm up game in Paarl. Is almost in tears as he adds that they tried their best to be prepared but unfortunately were no match for the Proteas. Feels that the pitch is more about a mental thing. They did reasonably well in Sri Lanka and at home against West Indies and could have done well here too, but did not assess the conditions that well. Does not agree that Zimbabwe were perhaps overawed by the team and the surroundings. On his team's upcoming games, Cremer informs that the team will be travelling to Bangladesh for a tri-series and then the World Cup Qualifiers. Admits that there is plenty of work to do for his side.
Excellent bowling display by the home side. Two biggest positives - Morne Morkel hitting his strides from the very first ball and Andile Phehlukwayo showing that the bowling bench strength of South Africa is very solid as they have won this game without the services of Dale Steyn or Chris Morris. Also, Keshav Maharaj is quickly rising up the ranks and showing that he is going to be a permanent fixture in this South African unit. Time for the presentations...
Did South Africa get what they wanted? Personally, I am not totally sure. Majority of their players are short of international match practice and ideally, the Proteas should have batted again and batted deep. They are going to get a much tougher opposition in the next one week and apart from Aiden Markram, majority of the batsmen looked rusty.
Terrific bowling? Poor batting? Combination of both. Hard to find positives amidst the batting when you have lost 16 wickets in a day but the Zimbabwean side is clearly short of skill when it comes to playing Test cricket. No proper batsman stood up in either innings and that shows when your number 9 player in the batting order is the highest scorer in both innings combined. Thank you Zimbabwe for coming, as far as South Africa are concerned.
Half-time! Yaa... normally in soccer and hockey and a few other sports, when half the time allotted elapses, the players take a break, resulting in half time. Well, theoretically, this was supposed to be a 4-day Test with 392 overs scheduled. We did not have even 2 complete days and the number of overs bowled are 151.1. So not even half time but that is how short this Test match has been. Abject, abject, abject Zimbabwe.
42.3
W
Keshav Maharaj To Blessing Muzarabani OUT!
OUT! 4-day Test ends in 2 days! Third 5-wicket haul for Maharaj and it has been a great piece of bowling, however non-competitive the opposition might be. He bowls this a bit flatter as compared to the previous two deliveries and Muzarabani continues his wild swing. Misses once again but this time, the ball hits the off stump. VICTORY FOR SA BY AN INNINGS AND 120 RUNS!
42.2
0
Keshav Maharaj To Blessing Muzarabani
Comes down the track, gets a rocket on the pads, only he and the creator of this world know how on earth did he manage to get bat on ball to defend. There was a clear case of stumping on offer, but the bat came in the way.
42.1
0
Keshav Maharaj To Blessing Muzarabani
Nearly! Tossed up on middle and leg, Muzarabani has a wild swing, only to miss. The ball was probably an inch away from handing Maharaj a fifer as it just missed the off stump by that much.
Maharaj again... Can he get a fifer?
Over 42 : 121/9
4 Runs
G. Cremer
18 (37)
B. Muzarabani
10 (6)
V. Philander
7-3-10-1
41.6
0
Vernon Philander To Graeme Cremer
Punched off the back foot by the batsman.
41.5
0
Vernon Philander To Graeme Cremer
Defended off the back foot by the batsman.
41.4
0
Vernon Philander To Graeme Cremer
Punches this off the back foot straight to cover.
41.3
0
Vernon Philander To Graeme Cremer
Outside off, left alone.
41.2
0
Vernon Philander To Graeme Cremer
On a good length outside off, Cremer defends this watchfully.
41.1
4
Vernon Philander To Graeme Cremer
FOUR! Another boundary! A length ball outside off, Cremer leans and steers it behind point for a boundary!
Over 41 : 117/9
10 Runs
B. Muzarabani
10 (6)
G. Cremer
14 (31)
K. Maharaj
17-5-59-4
40.6
0
Keshav Maharaj To Blessing Muzarabani
And again! This is even slower, Blessing is beaten once more.
40.5
0
Keshav Maharaj To Blessing Muzarabani
Tossed up slowly outside off, Muzarabani looks to have a hoick but is beaten by the lack of pace.
40.4
0
Keshav Maharaj To Blessing Muzarabani
The batsman has attempted to put bat on ball - but fails.
40.3
0
Keshav Maharaj To Blessing Muzarabani
Full and outside off, hit straight to cover.
40.2
6
Keshav Maharaj To Blessing Muzarabani
SIX! THRASH! New Year is coming up. Enjoy yourself. Forget the sorrows, only rejoice. Full and outside off, Muzarabani gets underneath this one as well and has a mighty heave-ho. Swings it cleanly over the mid-wicket fence!
40.1
4
Keshav Maharaj To Blessing Muzarabani
FOUR! Some runs. Full and outside off, Muzarabani gets underneath that and lofts it over a leaping mid off for a boundary!
Over 40 : 107/9
4 Runs
G. Cremer
14 (31)
B. Muzarabani
0 (0)
V. Philander
6-3-6-1
39.6
4
Vernon Philander To Graeme Cremer
FOUR! Nicely done. Gets across his stumps, Philander arrows one on middle but the batsman manages to get bat on that and deflects it to the fine leg fence.
39.5
0
Vernon Philander To Graeme Cremer
Defended off the back foot by the batsman.
39.4
0
Vernon Philander To Graeme Cremer
Full and outside off, watchfully defended.
39.3
0
Vernon Philander To Graeme Cremer
The batsman defends it from within the crease.
39.2
0
Vernon Philander To Graeme Cremer
Played to the mid-wicket region by the batsman.
39.1
0
Vernon Philander To Graeme Cremer
Around off, watchfully defended.
Full Commentary
Match Info
  • Venue St George's Park, Port Elizabeth
  • Weather Clear
  • Toss South Africa won the toss and elected to bat
  • Result South Africa beat Zimbabwe by an innings and 120 runs
  • Player of the Match Aiden Markram
  • Umpire Richard Kettleborough (ENG), Paul Reiffel (AUS) and Michael Gough (ENG)
  • Referee Chris Broad (ENG)
Match Notes
  • Stumps: Zimbabwe 30/4 in 16.0 overs
  • Zimbabwe 14/4: C Ervine lbw b Philander 4 (31)
  • Referral 1 (10.4 ovs): C Ervine against SA (LBW) Unsuccessful (SA: 2, ZIM: 2) (Retained)
  • Innings Break: South Africa 309/9 in 78.3 overs
  • South Africa 303/6 in 76.3 overs
  • South Africa 298/6: Philander lbw b Cremer 10 (15)
  • Referral 3(75.5 ovs): V Philander against ZIM (LBW) Unsuccessful (SA: 1, ZIM: 0)
  • Dinner: South Africa 251/4 in 65.3 overs
  • South Africa 250/3 in 63.5 overs
  • 4th wkt Partnership: 51 off 69 balls between A Markram (26) and T Bavuma (25)
  • A Markram 2nd Test hundred: 103 runs in 175 balls (13x4) (1x6)
  • South Africa 200/3 in 53.3 overs
  • Drinks: South Africa 173/3 in 46.5 overs
  • De Villiers 40th Test fifty: 50 runs in 62 balls (5x4) (1x6)
  • South Africa 150/2 in 42.1 overs
  • Referral 2(38.6 ovs): ZIM against De Villiers (LBW) Unsuccessful (SA: 2, ZIM: 0)
  • 3rd wkt Partnership: 50 off 79 balls between A Markram (13) and De Villiers (37)
  • A Markram Test fifty: 50 runs in 104 balls (6x4) (0x6)
  • South Africa 100/2 in 31.0 overs
  • Tea: South Africa 96/2 in 30.0 overs
  • Drinks: South Africa 50/0 in 16.0 overs
  • 1st wkt Partnership: 50 off 93 balls between A Markram (26) and D Elgar (23)
  • South Africa 50/0 in 15.2 overs
  • Referral 1(7.5 ovs): ZIM against A Markram (Caught) Unsuccessful (SA: 2, ZIM: 1)
  • Blessing Muzarabani and Ryan Burl makes their Test debut for Zimbabwe
  • K Maharaj 3rd Test 5-wicket haul: 5/59 (17.3)
  • Zimbabwe 102/8 in 38.3 overs
  • Zimbabwe 87/6: P Moor c AB de Villiers b Andile Phehlukwayo 1 (6)
  • Referral 1 (31.2 ovs): P Moor against SA (Caught) Unsuccessful (SA: 2, ZIM: 1)
  • Drinks: Zimbabwe 87/5 in 31.0 overs
  • Zimbabwe 50/0 in 16.2 overs
  • Tea: Zimbabwe 36/0 in 13.0 overs
  • Innings Break: Zimbabwe 68/10 (f/o) in 30.1 overs
  • AB de Villiers takes his 200th Test catches
  • Zimbabwe 51/6 in 25.0 overs
  • M Morkel 7th Test 5-wicket haul: 5/21 (8.5)
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