Klusener blows away Zimbabwe

Today’s win also indicated that the Proteas had got over the rustiness of the three-month lay-off.

“When someone bats as ruthlessly as Zulu (Klusener) did, there is nothing any opposition can do. It was a stupendous innings,” skipper Hansie Cronje said of Klusener’s innings which earned the Natal player the man-of-the-match award.

Earlier, Zimbabwe blew away a good start to be bowled out for a moderate 216. Grant Flower (91) and Neil Johnson (35) put on 99 runs for the first wicket and were 170 for two at one stage but reckless batting helped the Proteas back into the game. Alan Dawson (3/36) andPaul Adams (3/43) were the most successful wicket-takers for South Africa.

With the wicket playing even, the target of 217 was not a tall order but the 174-run opening partnership which completely decimated the Zimbabwean attack made it a cakewalk.

SCOREBOARD

ZIMBABWE: N Johnson b Crookes 35, G Flower c&b Kallis 91, A Campbell c Gibbs b Klusener 7, M Goodwin c Boucher b Dawson 27, A Flower b Dawson 6, G Rennie not out 20, S Carlisle c Pollock b Dawson 0, G Whittall c&b Adams 10, P Strang c Boucher b Adams 0, A Whittall b Pollock 1, D Mutendera lbw Adams 2. Extras (lb5, w11, nb1): 17. Total (all out, 47.4 overs) 216.

Fall of wickets: 1-99, 2-124, 3-170, 4-172, 5-186, 6-186,7-198, 8-207, 9-213.

Bowling: Pollock 9-2-30-1, Dawson 9-1-36-3, Kallis 9-1-35-1, Klusener 7-0-30-1, Crookes 5-0-37-1, Adams 8.4-0-43-3.

SOUTH AFRICA: Herschelle Gibbs retired hurt 48, Lance Klusener not out 101, Jacques Kallis b G Whittall 25, Hansie Cronje not out 31. Extras (lb4, nb3,w5): 12. total (for one wicket, 35 overs) 217

Fall of wicket: 1-174.

Bowling: Johnson 4-0-26-0, Mutendera 4-0-26-0, A Whittall 10-0-46-0, G Flower 5-0-35-0, G Whittall 10-0-46-1, P Strang 2-0-34-0.