Duminy & Theron Seal 2-0 Series Win For South Africa

Duminy & Theron Seal 2-0 Series Win For South Africa

JP Duminy hit 97 in 54 balls to set up a winning score for South Africa

©Action Images / Scott Heavey Livepic

South Africa 194-6 (Duminy 96no, Smith 45) beat
Zimbabwe 186-7 (Taylor 59, Chibhaba 58) by eight runs
Second Twenty20 International, Kimberley
Scorecard

South Africa won the second and final Twenty20 International against Zimbabwe by eight runs in Kimberley but it took an innings of brilliance from JP Duminy and some masterful death bowling from Juan Theron to ensure they sealed the series 2-0.

Batting first, Duminy hammered an unbeaten 96 in 54 balls to guide South Africa to 194 for six and Zimbabwe then scored 186 for seven - their highest score in Twenty20 International cricket - and going down fighting in the process.

After winning the toss and choosing to bat, South Africa lost Loots Bosman (5) and Colin Ingram (12) early as Prosper Utseya, opening the bowling, struck twice.

However, Duminy, who hit ten fours and four sixes, then added 45 in quick time with Graeme Smith, who hit 46 in 29 balls but his dismissal left the limelight for Duminy, who cut loose in the closing overs to register the highest score in this format of the game by a South African.

David Miller (27) helped him add 71 in quick time for the fourth wicket and despite Heino Kuhn and Robin Peterson both departing for one, South Africa had a winning score on the board.

Utseya (2-28) and Shingirai Masakadza (2-39) proved to be the most effective bowlers for Zimbabwe.

Hamilton Masakadza's early dismissal for Zimbabwe set them back when he was well caught by Johan Botha off Lonwabo Tsotsobe but what followed was a partnership between Brendan Taylor and Chamu Chibhabha that brought them back into the match.

Both men scored speedy half-centuries and put on 107 for the second wicket, with Taylor blasting 59 in 39 balls and Chibhaba 58 in 41 deliveries to reach his second half-century of the series.

South Africa broke through when Chibhabha chipped Botha to Wayne Parnell at the end of the 13th over and that saw South Africa begin to wrest back control.

The dismissals of Charles Coventry (8), Taylor and Keith Dabengwa (1) left Zimbabwe with a huge mountain to climb but they refused to give up, Elton Chigumbura (26) and Tatenda Taibu (11 not out) capitalising on a wayward penultimate over from Parnell to leave the tourists requiring 15 to win from the final six balls.

Theron, however, held his nerve, beginning in perfect style by bowling Shingirai Masakadza and then allowing just six runs from the remaining balls.

South Africa won the opening match by seven wickets in Bloemfontein.

© Cricket World 2010