Zimbabwe score last-ball win

Both sides suffered top order collapses before being rescued by big partnerships for the seventh wicket.

Jacques Kallis and Lance Klusener put on 82 for South Africa but their effort was topped by Zimbabwe captain Andy Flower and all-rounder Guy Whittall, who added 91 to set Z zimbabwe record for the seventh wicket.

Flower (59) slashed a catch to backward point off Henry Williams, with Jonty Rhodes clutching the catch at the second attempt. At that stage, Zimbabwe needed 25 off 24 balls with three wickets left.

When Guy Whittall was run out for 39 by a backhand flick from mid-on by Herschelle Gibbs, leaving 10 to win off nine balls, it seemed SouthAfrica might pull through. But Heath Streak hammered a four through the covers off Shaun Pollock.

Only four were needed off the last over, but the tension rose and the scores were level when Streak squeezed the final ball through on the legside and wicketkeeper Mark Boucher’s throw at the stumps missed by centimetres.

Klusener, big-hitting hero of the 1999 World Cup, took 66 balls to score his first 37 in South Africa’s innings but then hit two successive sixes off left-arm spinner Grant Flower and reached his half-century off 69 balls.

Herschelle Gibbs and the recalled Louis Koen put on 40 for the first wicket before Henry Olonga started a collapse.

Neil Johnson gave Zimbabwe a flying start with three fours in the first over off Shaun Pollock but Grant Flower was lbw to Mornantau Hayward’s first ball from the other end.

Johnson played brightly for 35 off 41 balls with seven fours, but wickets fell regularly as the innings followed a similar pattern to that of South Africa before Andy Flower andWhittall came together.

Veteran seamer Henry Williams, 32, playing in only his third international, was the most impressive bowler in the match, taking three for 38.

SCOREBOARD

South Africa: Herschelle Gibbs c Andy Flower b Olonga 20, Louis Koen c Goodwin b Olonga 19, Jacques Kallis c Wishart b Brent 52, N McKenzie c Carlisle b Streak 7, Hansie Cronje c Andy Flower b Johnson 10, Jonty Rhodes c Brent b Johnson 13, Mark Boucher c Johnson b Brent 8, Lance Klusener not out 65, Shaun Pollock not out 14. Extras: (b 1, lb 1, w 11, nb 1) 14.
Total: (for 7 wickets, in 50 overs) 222
Fall of wickets: 1-40, 2-41, 3-49, 4-69, 5-92, 6-112, 7-194

Bowling: Olonga 8-0-34-2, Johnson 10-0-53-2, Streak 10-0-53-1, Brent 10-0-32-2, Grant Flower 10-0-37-0, Guy Whittall 2-0-11-0

Zimbabwe: Neil Johnson c McKenzie b Kallis 35, Grant Flower lbw Hayward 0, Craig Wishart c Kallis b Williams 18, Alistair Campbell c Boucher b Williams 11, Murray Goodwin lbw Klusener 16, Andy Flower cRhodes b Williams 59, Stuart Carlisle lbw Hayward 6, Guy Whittall run out 39, Heath Streak not out 19, Gary Brent not out 1. Extras: (lb 1, lb 2, w 5, nb 11) 19
Total: (for 8 wickets in 50 overs) 223
Fall of wickets: 1-13, 2-57, 3-65, 4-85, 5-90, 6-107, 7-198, 8-213

Bowling: Pollock 10-0-55-0, Hayward 10-0-42-2, Williams 10-0-38-3, Kallis 10-0-40-1, Klusener 10-0-45-1