South Africa v Zimbabwe, 2014-15
Wisden's review of the sixth ODI, South Africa v Zimbabwe, 2014-15
15-Apr-2015
At Harare, September 4, 2014. South Africa won by 63 runs. South Africa 271 (50 overs) (F. du Plessis 121, R. R. Rossouw 36, J-P. Duminy 51); ‡Zimbabwe 208 (47.2 overs) (B. R. M. Taylor 79; J-P. Duminy 3-35). South Africa 5pts. MoM: F. du Plessis.
Zimbabwe needed an unlikely bonus point victory to stand any chance of pipping South Africa to the final. Rossouw avoided becoming the first man to begin his one-day international career with three golden ducks, meeting Neville Madziva's first ball with a straight bat, before cover-driving the next for four. When John Nyumbu ran out de Villiers with a fingertip deflection to make it 120-4 in the 28th over, the Zimbabweans might have been eyeing another upset. But they too ran into du Plessis, who struck his third century in four games, through careful application and clever shot selection. He and J-P. Duminy batted Zimbabwe out of contention in a fifth-wicket stand of 103. They required a near-impossible 272 from 25.2 overs to qualify, but Taylor did at least find some belated form. Duminy and Phangiso fastened the shackles, allowing de Villiers to give himself a bowl for just the second time in ODIs.
Zimbabwe needed an unlikely bonus point victory to stand any chance of pipping South Africa to the final. Rossouw avoided becoming the first man to begin his one-day international career with three golden ducks, meeting Neville Madziva's first ball with a straight bat, before cover-driving the next for four. When John Nyumbu ran out de Villiers with a fingertip deflection to make it 120-4 in the 28th over, the Zimbabweans might have been eyeing another upset. But they too ran into du Plessis, who struck his third century in four games, through careful application and clever shot selection. He and J-P. Duminy batted Zimbabwe out of contention in a fifth-wicket stand of 103. They required a near-impossible 272 from 25.2 overs to qualify, but Taylor did at least find some belated form. Duminy and Phangiso fastened the shackles, allowing de Villiers to give himself a bowl for just the second time in ODIs.