ZIMBABWE TOUR OF SOUTH AFRICA, 2025
SA players pose with the trophy © Zimbabwe Cricket
South Africa only needed a little over two sessions to wrap up Zimbabwe for 220 to complete a massive innings and 236-run victory in the second Test, and a 2-0 series whitewash, in Bulawayo on Tuesday (July 8). The home team’s top-order did offer some resistance but a collapse of 8 for 67 proved fatal and gave South Africa the inevitable win after their stand-in skipper Wiaan Mulder’s record-breaking 367 not out.
Resuming from 51 for 1 on Day 3, Zimbabwe lost Takudzwanashe Kaitano early into the session after he chipped one from Senuran Muthusamy straight to Mulder at cover to fall for 40. The South Africa’s skipper’s game kept getting better and he rattled the off-stump of Sean Williams to lend the hosts a mighty blow.
A half-century stand ensued between Nick Welch (55) and skipper Craig Ervine (49) that kept South Africa at bay for the next 21 overs. But Muthusamy and Mulder, at first slip, combined once again to deliver a crucial breakthrough. Soon after bringing up his fifty, Welch sent a leading edge to the slips trying to clip a tossed up delivery from the left-arm spinner.
From there on the slide was quick. Wessley Madhevere and Tafadzwa Tsiga fell within six overs of each other to Codi Yusuf, contributing just six runs between them, to wash off any faint hopes of a fightback. To top it off, Ervine missed out on a half-century and departed soon after. Corbin Bosch removed the Zimbabwean skipper and Kundai Matigimu in the same over, and Blessing Muzarabani later in the same spell to have Zimbabwe pinned on the mat at 184 for 9.
The last-wicket pair of Wellington Masakadza and Tanaka Chivanga delayed the inevitable for almost nine overs with the latter particularly counterpunching through his 26-ball 22 that included three fours and a six. However, Muthusamy broke the partnership in the extended-time of the second session and Zimbabwe were shot down for just 220 in their second innings to concede a massive win to the visitors.
© Cricbuzz
