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LEFT-ARM quick Kwena Maphaka picked up 5 for 34, including three of the top four batters, as South Africa crushed Zimbabwe by nine wickets in the Super Sixes of the Under-19 World Cup yesterday.
Maphaka’s spell helped bundle Zimbabwe out for 102, with the hosts’ top order hunting down the target in less than 14 overs.
Zimbabwe were reduced to 16 for 4 at the start of the fifth over, and three of those wickets had gone to Maphaka.
South Africa’s chase got off to a flyer, with openers Lhuan-dre Pretorius and Steve Stolk pumping boundaries regularly.
The first four overs fetched 42, while the powerplay ended with 86 runs already getting knocked off.
Next ball, Anesu Kamuriwo got Stolk for 37, but Pretorius continued in a hurry, getting to his fifty off 38 balls to end the 12th over.
Come the 14th over, David Teeger hit the winning runs, as South Africa won with plenty to spare. The victory put South Africa at second place in Group 2, with the margin of victory giving their net run rate a massive boost.
Brief Score
South Africa 103 for 1 (Pretorius 53*, Stolk 37, Kamuriwo 1-31) beat Zimbabwe 102 (Ronak 32, Maphaka 5-34, Luus 3-25) by nine wickets
Bongani Ndlovu
Mathew Masinge