Game thread for this match being played at Hamilton.
These two have met twice in World Cups, with this one being the first meeting since 1999 at Chelmsford, when Zimbabwe shocked South Africa, and in the process eliminated England from their own tournament when the hosts completed their loss to India the following day. The other meeting was in 1992 when the two teams met at Canberra.
Given the paucity of meetings, World Cup records for this fixture look ripe for beating. The highest individual score is 76 by Neil Johnson at Chelmsford, while South Africa’s highest score is the 70 made by Kepler Wessels in Canberra.
Peter Kirsten, Shaun Pollock and Lance Klusener are the only other players to make half centuries in this fixture.
Neil Johnson has the best bowling figures as well, with 3/27.
South Africa are my choices for the competition, and Zimbabwe are not expected to put up much of a contest. Let’s see….
Being Outside Cricket 
Play under way. SA put in. Crowd and weather very good. Knighty on commentary. Someone (not Knighty) hopes Zimbabwe can make it a competitive game – which would be an improvement on yesterday.
Amla’s ODI stats come up – average of 56.4 at an 89.6 SR. He isn’t their best player of course.
De Kock gone early. Stodgy start by the Saffers. Amla given LBW but overturned on review. Slight anticipation of an upset here….
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Amla goes chopping on. PP blitz yielded 28-2. Saffer coms moaning like billy-o about the pitch. I’d be blotto if I was having a drink every time “tennis ball bounce” came up. 233 the ground ODi average score.
Zimbabwe’s improvement being put down to new coach Dav Whatmore. A coach who improves a team? It’ll never catch on.
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Yeah, it’s very good so far from Zimbabwe. They’ve got the best pitch they could possibly have hoped for – slow, but they’re bowling with excellent discipline. It’s a curious tactic, bowling a good line and length, I don’t think it will catch on.
For South Africa, 240-250 looks a good score from here (55/2 off 15 overs) which should lead to a good chase.
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SA lost two more and now 87-4. FDP went to a classic leg-side strangle. ABDV superbly caught at long-off off leggie Kamungozi.
Slow-ball bouncers so far: none.
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Miller and Duminy rebuilding. Zimbabwe used eight bowlers so far. Kamungozi is the only leg-spinner with a mohican I can think of (except BJT Bosanquet).
Boundaries at Hamilton only 60m in places. Selvey’ll be furious. Miller’s just hit one out of the ground.
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Well, that was carnage at the end of the innings.
184 runs off the last 14 overs.
111 off the last six overs!
No upset here, this game is over.
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Zimbabwe went for 146 in the last ten overs. They’re the only test-playing team with a recent death bowling record worse than England. Shin-high full-tosses their main tactic.
Not much “tennis ball bounce” from the coms in the last two hours. Plenty of “big bats” though and at least one “he has a wide bat”.
Miller and Duminy broke the world ODI 5th wicket record partnership. Previous holders Morgan and Bops against Ireland. Their WC not getting any better.
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Zimbabwe at least made a fist of it reaching 277 which is more than England did yesterday. How will they do against SA ?
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