Online Reporter
Brandon Moyo, Zimpapers Sports Hub
DESPITE fighting knocks from Wellington Masakadza, Craig Ervine, and Blessing Muzarabani, Zimbabwe were steamrolled by a ruthless South African side, suffering a crushing 328-run defeat in the first Test at Queens Sports Club on Tuesday.
Chasing an imposing 537 for victory, the Chevrons were bowled out for 208 on the fourth day. Masakadza led with a career best 57, Ervine fell agonisingly short of a half century on 49, and Muzarabani chipped in with an unbeaten 32.
The Proteas now lead the two match Test series 1-0, with the second game set to begin on Sunday at the same venue.
The visitors set the tone early, piling on 418/9 declared in their first innings. Centuries from Lhuan-dre Pretorius and Corbin Bosch did the damage, while Tanaka Chivanga was the pick of Zimbabwe’s bowlers with four wickets.
Zimbabwe’s response was carried almost singlehandedly by Sean Williams, whose superb 137 accounted for more than half of the team’s 251 total. It was his sixth Test century and placed him among an elite group of Zimbabwean batsmen.
In their second innings, South Africa added 369 more runs. Wiaan Mulder anchored the innings with 147, while Masakadza starred with the ball, picking up four wickets.
That left Zimbabwe needing 537 runs for an improbable win. Their chase began late on day three, and they lost Takudzwanashe Kaitano off the final ball of the day, caught in the slips for 12 off 62 deliveries.
Day four unraveled quickly. Nick Welch fell for a golden duck on the first ball of the morning, and Williams’ rapid 26 off 18 deliveries was cut short when he was caught behind. Prince Masvaure followed not long after for 12 from 76 balls, with the scoreboard reading 68/4.
Wessly Madhevere and Tafadzwa Tsiga were the next to fall in quick succession, leaving Zimbabwe in deep trouble before Masakadza and Ervine briefly steadied the ship with an 83-run seventh-wicket partnership.
That resistance was snapped by a moment of brilliance from Tony de Zorzi, who pulled off a stunning one handed catch at short leg to dismiss Ervine for 49 off 77 deliveries.
Masakadza held firm but eventually fell in the 60th over, ending a gutsy knock that lasted 92 balls. Muzarabani fought to the end, finishing unbeaten on 32 from 29 deliveries. Chivanga was the last to fall, out for one after facing 22 balls, sealing Zimbabwe’s fate.
Bosch capped off a memorable match with a five-wicket haul to go with his century in the first innings. He finished with figures of 5/43 in 12 overs, while Codi Yusuf contributed with three wickets for 22 runs in nine overs.
Despite the loss, Masakadza remained optimistic about Zimbabwe’s approach heading into the second Test. He admitted that losing Muzarabani to illness on the morning of day three was a major setback.
“It has been up and down for us. We have had good opportunities at times. The beauty of Test cricket is that it always shifts momentum. It was up and down, but we stuck to it throughout the game,” said Masakadza.
“Early in the morning, there was something for the seamers, not having Blessing was a huge blow for us, but we stuck to it until we managed to take wickets.
We are all focusing on winning a game of cricket. We will continue on that path, take the positives, rectify a few mistakes, but we should focus on the positives going into the next game.”
South Africa’s captain, Keshav Maharaj, praised his team’s effort but stressed the need for improvement.
“As much as we have won this game, there is so much to take out, there are areas we can be a lot better,” said Maharaj.
“We can improve, especially up front in trying conditions, and be a little bit more cautious in certain aspects.
With the ball, we need to be tidier in terms of not bowling too many bad balls. In the second innings of our batting, we could have been more ruthless, we gave too many soft dismissals away. But, as a collective, we are really happy with the performance.”
The teams now shift focus to the second and final Test, which begins Sunday at Queens Sports Club. Zimbabwe will be hoping to bounce back and level the series, while South Africa aim to wrap things up with another dominant showing.
