South Africa complete clean sweep

South Africa 207 for 5 (Kemp 78*) beat Zimbabwe 206 for 8 (Streak 68, Taylor 41, Ewing 46) by 5 wickets, and won series 3-0
Scorecard and ball-by-ball details

A fighting 68 from Heath Streak on his return to international cricket was not enough to save Zimbabwe as South Africa completed a 3-0 series whitewash under the lights at Port Elizabeth. Back in the side after almost a year out, Streak lifted Zimbabwe to a healthy 206 for 8 after they were reeling at an anaemic 35 for 5. But South Africa edged past the total with more than three overs to spare - thanks in no small part to Justin Kemp's quickfire 78 not out, which included four fours and four sixes.

The game was evened up not just by the return of Streak, but by the fact that South Africa had chosen to rest Graeme Smith, Jacques Kallis, Shaun Pollock, Makhaya Ntini and Andre Nel for this dead rubber. And their replacements wasted no time in putting Zimbabwe under the cosh as the game got underway, but still South Africa were made to work hard after wobbling at 79 for 4 in their reply.

Tatenda Taibu won his third toss in a row and decided to bat this time, given that South Africa had rattled up two big totals in the previous one-sided matches after being put in. But it seemed that game was all but over as Zimbabwe lost five wickets inside the first 13 overs.

Double strikes from South Africa's opening pair of Charl Langeveldt and Monde Zondeki, and a run-out, put paid to any hopes Zimbabwe had of setting a high total. Barney Rogers was the first to fall to Langeveldt's pace, as Mark Boucher dived low to his left to pouch a magnificent one-handed catch (9 for 1). Langeveldt soon added another, as he surprised the left-hander Sean Williams (1) with one which swung into him and Kemp clung on at second slip (12 for 2).

There were surprises at the other end, too. Zondeki had one for Hamilton Masakadza, as a short ball took the splice and flew to a tumbling Herschelle Gibbs in the covers. At 23 for 3, Zimbabwean heads were low - Masakadza couldn't bear to look up, in fact, and he set off the wrong way for the pavilion.

Stuart Matsikenyeri (1) and Taibu then fell in quick succession, Matsikenyeri's flashing edge finding Boucher and Taibu run out when AB de Villiers threw down the one stump in his vision. Cometh the hour, cometh the returning man. Streak strode to the crease with Zimbabwe at a perilous 35 for 5 and, with Taylor, set about righting the ship. They added 67 for the sixth wicket.

Taylor's 41 came from 81 balls, with just two boundaries, as he played a patient, restorative innings. But then he tried to hoist Adam Bacher over mid-off, but succeeded only in finding the looming Kemp (102 for 6). Streak was then helped in a stand of 90 by Gavin Ewing, who hit five fours in his 46 before he was bowled by Albie Morkel (190 for 7).

But Streak was the hero - and his 68 made him Zimbabwe's highest runscorer in this brief series, one ahead of Taylor who made 67 in three matches. For South Africa, the big-hitting Kemp was yet again on song, although Zimbabwe will consider themselves unlucky after dropping him several times, while, on the one occasion that he was caught - the very first ball he faced - the umpire turned down the appeal.

Streak, after dominating with the bat on his return, struck immediate gold with the ball too, as de Villiers edged a perfect outswinger through to Taibu (11 for 1). de Villiers made 7 while Streak had produced a glimmer of hope for Zimbabwe.

Christopher Mpofu found some nice shape, and clean-bowled the out-of-sorts Adam Bacher for just 9. South Africa were 35 for 2, but Gibbs and Jacques Rudolph set about punishing the bowlers to keep South Africa on course.

Suddenly Tawanda Mupiwara brought Zimbabwe back into the game, striking twice by inducing edges from Gibbs (21) and Rudolph (33), leaving South Africa in some trouble at 79 for 4. Kemp should have fallen next ball, with a big edge, but he survived and steered South Africa to what was a comfortable victory in the end, with only Ashwell Prince falling along the way.

But this was to prove by far the closest match of the series: although, with the result never seriously in doubt, and given the previous one-sided matches, that wasn't saying much.