Online Reporter
Brandon Moyo, Zimpapers Sports Hub
IT was a brutal reality check for Zimbabwe’s Test aspirations. A ruthless South African side, missing seven regulars, needed just three days to complete a series whitewash at Queens Sports Club, crushing the Chevrons by an innings and 236 runs in the second Test on Tuesday afternoon.
The match, if it can be called that, ended two sessions into day three. South Africa’s 626/5 declared proved too much for Zimbabwe, who were dismissed for 170 and 220 in their two innings. In total, the hosts managed just 390 runs, a mere 23 more than Wiaan Mulder scored on his own. The 26 year old all-rounder produced a record breaking 367 not out and walked away with the Player of the Series honours.
While the scoreline tells one story, the deeper concern is how far off the pace Zimbabwe looked, a point not lost on head coach, Justin Sammons.
“Execution in this series went backwards compared to when we played Bangladesh, or even some aspects against England,” said a visibly frustrated Sammons. “Execution was way off the mark. I’m not 100 percent sure what we can put that down to. It’s something new for the group, playing five Tests in a row. There’ll be a bit of fatigue that’s crept in. It’s draining and heavy on the guys, but that’s what international cricket is about. You’ve got to suck it up and get the job done. It’s really disappointing. It’s not for lack of effort, they’re giving their all, but the results speak for themselves.”
Sammons didn’t sugar coat it:
“We were not good enough. If we want to be competing with the best, that’s the standard. Unfortunately, we fell well short of it. We’ve learned lessons from previous series, and you can hear that when the group speaks. But at the end of the day, it’s still about execution. They know what they’re trying to do, they just haven’t been able to deliver.”
South Africa coach Shukri Conrad praised his team’s focus, especially given the absence of several seasoned players.
“We managed to keep the standards as high as we’ve set them in both Tests,” said Conrad. “In the first Test, our youngsters handled the new ball well after early trouble. Then Wiaan (Mulder) played a monumental knock. On the bowling front, we stayed disciplined and kept the Zimbabwean batters under pressure. The catching was also excellent, something we value highly.”
Zimbabwe resumed day three on 51/1, trailing by 405, with Nick Welch and Takudzwanashe Kaitano at the crease. Kaitano was the first to fall, caught for 40 off 76 balls as the hosts moved to 65/2.
Sean Williams, one of Zimbabwe’s more reliable batters, was bowled for 11 in the second session, the third wicket to fall. Welch and captain Craig Ervine offered a brief fightback, putting together a 50-run stand before Welch fell for 55 off 126 balls, his third Test half century. He top scored for Zimbabwe in the innings.
Ervine followed soon after, agonisingly one short of a deserved fifty, caught on 49. Wessly Madhevere (5) and Tafadzwa Tsiga (1) offered little resistance. Tanaka Chivanga chipped in with a brisk 22 off 26, while Wellington Masakadza finished unbeaten on 17.
South Africa’s Corbin Bosch did the damage with the ball, claiming 4/38 in 19 overs. Senuran Muthusamy picked up three wickets, Codi Yusuf two, while Mulder added one scalp to go with his batting masterclass.
Zimbabwe’s bruised squad now shifts focus to white-ball cricket, with a T20I Tri-Series against South Africa and New Zealand starting Monday at Harare Sports Club. But after this kind of mauling, there are more questions than answers, and not much time to find them.
