SA v Zim T20 2: Proteas Hold Nerve for Series Win

The Proteas were pushed to the limit by a spirited Zimbabwe before clinching the two-match Standard Bank International Pro20 series at the Diamond Oval, Kimberley, on Sunday afternoon.

rusty theron in nets

The winning margin in the second match was a meagre 8 runs and, in truth, Zimbabwe will be disappointed that they did not level the series after holding a winning position for a great deal of the second half of the match.

It was only in the last 5 overs that the Proteas got control back but even then the visitors must have felt they had a chance with 15 needed off the last over – by no means insurmountable in this format of the game.

However, Proteas captain Johan Botha held a trump card in Rusty Theron who has regularly defended smaller targets in domestic competition.

Theron was once again up for the challenge and conceded only 6 runs off his 6 deliveries.

Botha admitted afterwards that Zimbabwe had run his team close.

“It was very tight, they played very well but it was also one of those situations when you face a big target and you have nothing to lose and you go for your shots. You can easily get bowled out for a low score or you can get close and that is what they did.

“Full credit to them, they played really well and they pushed us.”

In the end the Proteas, with their attack spearheaded by a 20-year-old in Wayne Parnell in the absence of Morne Morkel, held their nerve well.

“The closer you come to the end then you start thinking about the win,” commented Botha on Zimbabwe’s performance in the closing overs. “That is when the pressure gets to you. Chibhabha got out and then Brendan Taylor had a new guy with him and the new guy took up a few dot balls and started putting pressure on him. In that situation you suddenly have to think about the game a lot more.”

Although the Proteas’ bowling still needs a lot of improvement, the top order batting has come out of the series exceptionally well with the team posting 194 in Sunday’s game after making 170 and still having 4 overs left in Friday’s match.

JP Duminy returned to his best form (96 off 54 balls with 10 fours and 4 sixes) to improve on Loots Bosman’s previous best for the Proteas of 94 against England last season.

Zimbabwe replied with half-centuries from Brendan Taylor (59 off 39 balls with 4 fours and 3 sixes) and Justice Chibhabha (9 off 41 balls with 6 fours and 2 sixes) but in the end the combined efforts of Duminy with the bat and Theron with the ball proved too much for them.

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