SOUTH AFRICA TOUR OF ZIMBABWE, 2025
Having scored a hundred earlier, Corbin Bosch bagged a fifer to bowl Zimbabwe out for 208 © Zimbabwe Cricket
Corbin Bosch starred with a fifer as South Africa inflicted the heaviest Test defeat on Zimbabwe, by 328 runs, on Tuesday (July 1). Chasing a mammoth 537 for victory, the hosts slipped to 82/6 in the morning session before a brief recovery ensued. However, Bosch (5-43) and Codi Yusuf (3-22) ensured an early finish by wrapping Zimbabwe’s second innings on just 208.
Resuming from the overnight 32/1, Zimbabwe had a forgettable start to Day 4 when Bosch, continuing his pending over, struck on the very first ball to hand Nick Welch a golden duck. That brought Sean Williams to the crease, who kicked off with back-to-back boundaries to close the over, and then went on to repeat it in Bosch’s next.
Bosch, however, had his revenge soon after. The centurion from the first innings, Williams went for a swipe and ended up skying an edge for the keeper to fall for a promising 26 off just 18 deliveries. Yusuf, too, struck on his first ball of the day and ended the vigil of Prince Masvaure, who sent an outside edge to second slip to walk back after a patient 12 off 76. In his two succeeding overs, Yusuf sent back Wessly Madhevere and Tafadzwa Tsiga for ducks, reducing the home team to 82/6 to cap off the middle-order collapse.
Craig Ervine then combined with Wellngton Masakadza to prevent further damage before Lunch. The pair together added 83 runs for the seventh wicket stand to delay the inevitable by keeping the visitors at bay for 20 overs. However, once the partnership was broken it didn’t take long for Zimbabwe to surrender.
Dropped on 10, Masakadza went on to outscore his partner to a half-century but Ervine fell just one run short of his own as Bosch broke the stubborn stand for his fourth wicket in the innings. After making a hundred in the first innings, the allrounder capped it off with a fifer in the second when Vincent Masekesa dragged an inside edge onto his stumps, leaving the hosts reeling at 173/8.
While the writing was on the wall for the home side, Blessing Muzarabani decided to counterattack before going down. He smacked 4, 4, and 6 off Dewald Brevis before welcoming Maharaj back with a six and a four in the same over as well. Brevis, though, switched ends and had his partner, Tanaka Chivanga, stumped to keep Zimbabwe to just 208 for a comprehensive win inside four days in Bulawayo.
Brief scores: South Africa 418/9 decl (Lhuan-dre Pretorius 153, Corbin Bosch 100*; Tanaka Chivanga 4-83) & 369 (Wiaan Mulder 147, Keshav Maharaj 51; Wellington Masakadza 4-98) beat Zimbabwe 251 (Sean Williams 137; Wiaan Mulder 4-50) & 208 (Wellington Masakadza 57, Craig Ervine 49; Corbin Bosch 5-43) by 328 runs.
© Cricbuzz
