South Africa win at a canter

South Africa A 161 for 2 (A Peteren 87*, van Wyk 60) beat Zimbabwe A 160 (Mazakadza 46, Thomas 3-26) by eight wickets
Scorecard

It might only have been a A-team match, but the manner of today's eight-wicket win by South Africa over Zimbabwe at Bulawayo would have further deepened the gloom inside the already worried Zimbabwe camp weeks before the World Cup.

South Africa's batting stars of the first match - Alviro Petersen and Morne van Wyk - again shone, both notching up easy half centuries as Zimbabwe A failed to impress with bat or ball. The pair put on 139 for the second wicket as South Africa chased down a target of 161 with 12 overs to spare.

Both sides made two changes. Zimbabwe brought in allrounder Keith Dabengwa and opener Vusi Sibanda in for Chamu Chibhabha and fast bowler Anthony Ireland, South Africa offspinner Thandi Tshabalala and Vernon Philander for Charl Langerveldt and Johan Van der Wath.

After winning the toss, Zimbabwe's batting again looked frail from the second over when Stuart Matsikenyeri was trapped leg-before by Albie Morkel for 4. Sibanda followed when he was clean bowled by van der Wath for 2 and the slide continued when left hander Friday Kasteni, who looked destined for a big score, had his leg stump uprooted by Morkel.

Sean Williams and Hamilton Masakadza put on 63 for the fourth wicket, but the stand ended when Williams miscued a pull shot off Langerveldt to the towering Justin Kemp at midwicket who clung on to a difficult catch. Masakadza and Brendan Taylor briefly looked damgerous before Alfonso Thomas nailed Taylor leg-before for 13 and then dismissed Masakadza in a similar way.

Elton Chigumbura, who scored an aggressive unbeaten 61 in the first match, could not reproduce that same form and only managed 15 before he became Thomas' third victim, caught at long-on by van der Wath as he tried to clear the boundary. Roger Telemachus had earlier on dropped him in the same place off the same bowler.

Needing just 3.22 an over, South Africa did not get off to a great start when Bosman fell to Trevor Garwe, brilliantly snared at midwicket by Utseya after he had been dropped off the same bowler by Keith Dabengwa when yet to open his account. From there, South Africa A took firm control of proceedings with van Wyk and Alviro Petersen scoring freely.

A huge mix up saw van Wyk run-out attempting a single - his partner sent him back but Sibanda threw in the ball from point in the ball for Taylor to complete the dismissal.

But the result was by then a certainty, and Zimbabwe will do well to avoid a whitewash in the final match tomorrow.