Online Reporter
Brandon Moyo, Zimpapers Sports Hub
THE countdown is on. With just a month to go, Queens Sports Club in Bulawayo is set to host a clash steeped in history and high stakes, as Zimbabwe Cricket (ZC) announces ticket details for the Chevrons’ eagerly awaited two-match Test series against neighbours South Africa. Dubbed The Battle of the Limpopo, the upcoming series marks the long-anticipated return of red-ball rivalry between two giants of African cricket.
The first Test will run from June 28 to July 2, followed by the second from July 6 to 10.
What makes this series particularly compelling is the context: it has been eight years since the Chevrons last faced the Proteas in a Test match. That previous encounter, a four-day affair in 2017, concluded in just two days and 907 deliveries — a stark reminder of the formidable challenge that lies ahead.
To date, Zimbabwe and South Africa have met nine times in Tests. The Chevrons are still in search of their maiden victory, with South Africa winning eight matches and one ending in a draw — at Queens Sports Club, no less, back in 2001.
The upcoming series also marks the Proteas’ first Test tour to Zimbabwe in over a decade. Their last red-ball visit was in 2014, when they secured a nine-wicket victory in a one-off Test at Harare Sports Club. That match is fondly remembered by Zimbabwean fans for John Nyumbu’s five-wicket haul on debut — a bright moment in an otherwise tough contest.
Zimbabwe and South Africa’s Test journey began in 1995 in Harare, where the Proteas won by seven wickets. The sides met again in 1999 in a two-match series, with South Africa dominating both encounters, including a crushing innings-and-219-run win in Harare.
In 2001, another two-match series saw the teams split time between Harare and Bulawayo. South Africa claimed the first Test by nine wickets, while the second ended in a draw — Zimbabwe’s best result in this fixture to date.
The Proteas continued their dominance in 2005, sweeping both Tests on home soil, after which there was a lengthy hiatus. The series returned briefly in 2014, then again in 2017 with that truncated four-day Test.
As Zimbabwe prepares for this upcoming showdown, they do so on the heels of a historic four-day match against England at Trent Bridge. Skipper Craig Ervine reflected on the experience, calling it “an important learning curve where all the players picked up some lessons to use for the future.”— @brandon_malvin
