adminZimbabwe A were sent in to bat after losing the toss and they set a target of 242 runs which the South Africans chased down in 46 overs by batting around Ingram’s fine performance.
“We lost it in the middle periods and I give credit to the South Africans who bowled very well forcing us to go at 3.5 runs per over.
“I think 242 is never a competitive total in one day cricket and I give credit to our spinners who turned the match to become competitive, we lost it to our batting,” said Zimbabwe A head coach, Stephen Mangongo.
Zimbabwe started off very slowly as they only scored 27 runs, without loss, largely due to the restrictive and highly accurate bowling from Rory Kleinveldt and Kyle Abbott.
Abbott managed to swing the ball further making it difficult to score, but Tinotenda Mawoyo did well, in typical Test fashion, to contain the pressure along with his opening partner Chamunorwa Chibhabha.
Wayne Parnell came into the attack with quick bouncers.
Left arm spin brought Chibhabha’s demise yet again in the 17th over when he was bowled by Aaron Phangiso for 19.
Mawoyo led an exemplary innings, paired this time with Sikander Butt for a 70-run partnership, which was broken almost 10 overs later when Phangiso bowled Mawoyo for 52.
This was Mawoyo’s second half century in succession and featured three boundaries and a six.
Butt entertained the small crowd at Harare Sports Club, reaching his 50 from 62 balls, and proceeding to be the highest scorer for the home side with 81 of 89 balls.
Once again, slow bowling was the lethal force in getting wickets, this time 25-year-old Dean Elgar removing Butt and Stuart Matsikenyeri.
Craig Ervine, nicknamed Slug, played a non-sluggish quick fire innings comprising three boundaries and a six but was disappointed to be bowled out a run short of his half century by Abbott in the 49th over.
Visiting South African teams have been sloppy in their bowling this year, conceding a lot of extras which often costs them possible victories, the visitors added 18 extras to Zimbabwe’s score.
Elgar was the pick of the bowlers with two wickets for 3 runs in five overs.
In defending their score Zimbabwe used Stephen Mangongo’s game plan of introducing a spinner with the new ball.
Tafadzwa Kamungozi opened the bowling and went for a run in the first over, but the hosts struck first in the second over with Chatara coming over the wicket to left handed Elgar who got an outside edge.
Chatara came into the side replacing Brian Vitori who had taken a five-wicket haul in Saturday’s five wicket victory over Sri Lanka A.
Richard Levi launched two consecutive boundaries over the catching circle but Njabulo Njabulo got an outside edge having him caught behind.
“The team was a tactical side, we picked mainly spinners so that is why there was not a lot of death bowling today,” he said.
Scorecard
Zimbabwe A innings
T Mawoyo b Phangiso 52
C Chibhabha b Phangiso 19
S Butt c Hendricks b Elgar 81
S Matsikenyeri c Parnell b Elgar 7
C Ervine b Abbott 49
R Chakabva c Villas b Parnell 6
M Waller not out 7
T Mutombodzi not out 3
Total: Extras 18 (50 overs, 6 wickets) 242
Did not bat T Kamungozi, TL Chatara, N Ncube
Fall of wickets: 1-61 (Chibhabha, 16.3 ov), 2-90 (Mawoyo, 24.3 ov), 3-127 (Matsikenyeri, 32.1 ov), 4-197 (Sikandar Raza, 42.5 ov), 5-219 (Chakabva, 45.5 ov), 6-237 (Ervine, 48.5 ov)
Bowlers: Kleinveldt 10-0-49-0, Abbott 10-1-50-1, Phangiso 10-2-44-2, Parnell 10-0-41-1, du Plessis 3-0-17-0, Elgar 5-0-23-2, Ontong 2-0-14-0
South Africa A innings
R Levi c Mawoyo b Ncube 24
D Elgar c Chakabva b Chatara 0
C Ingram not out 89
F du Plessis c Matsikinyeri b Kamungozi 15
R Hendricks lbw Waller 21
J Ontong c Chakabva b Mutombodzi 0
D Villas c Chakabva b Mutombodzi 19
W Parnell stumped b Kamungozi 18
R Kleinveldt c Matsikenyeri b Chatara 40
K Abbott not out 0
Total: Extras 17 (46 overs, 8 wickets) 243
Did not bat : Aaron Phangiso
Fall of Wickets: 1-2 (Elgar, 1.3 ov), 2-33 (Levi, 6.3 ov), 3-71 (du Plessis, 14.6 ov), 4-113 (Hendricks, 23.5 ov), 5-114 (Ontong, 24.2 ov), 6-144 (Vilas, 32.4 ov), 7-182 (Parnell, 39.2 ov), 8-242 (Kleinveldt, 45.4 ov)
Bowlers: Kamungozi 10-1-36-2, Chatara 9-0-40-2, Ncube 7-0-48-1, Mutombodzi 10-1-41-2, Chibhabha 3-0-18-0, Waller 7-0-51-1
Online Reporter