6th PRAN RFL T20 Triangular played at Harare Sports Club: South Africa 130 for 4 (Levi 54) beat Zimbabwe 124 for 6 (Cremer 36*, Parnell 3-16) by six wickets
Zimbabwe has qualified for Sunday's final of the Pran RFL t20 triangular series despite a six wicket loss to South Africa.
Brendan Taylor's remarkably good luck with the coin continued when he called correctly for the fourth time at the toss. South Africa were back to their very best in the field as their bowlers continuously hit good areas and their fielders backed them up magnificintly.
Zimbabwe's total of 124 for the loss of six wickets from their 20 overs was never going to test a formidable batting line up such as South Africa's, but the fact that they were able to keep the Proteas at bay for 17-2 overs was good enough for Brendan Taylor and his men to once again set up a meeting in the final.
Vusi Sibanda was the first to go when he was out leg before wicket to allrounder Chris Morris for just nine. Brendan Taylor then followed soon after when he took on left arm spinner Robin Peterson but only succeeded in finding Lonwabo Tsotsobe at deep mid on leving the hosts tottering at 36 for 2 and when the in form Hamilton Masakadza was out to a catch taken just centimeters off the ground by Farhaan Behardien for 36, the middle order crumbled under the sustained pressure.
Stuart Matsikenyeri and Graeme Cremer then added 32 for the sixth wicket before Matsikenyeri was out looking to up the tempo for 22. Cremer and Prosper Utseya then batted out the last few overs to insure the home side lost no more wickets, with Cremer finishing on an unbeaten 36 off 27 balls.
Wayne Parnell was by far and away the pick of the bowlers, ending with figures of 3-16 from his four overs which included a maiden. The South African innings then got off to a dramatic start when captain Hashim Amla was well caught down the leg side by his opposite number Brendan Taylor with out scoring, but Richard Levi then gave the crowd a display of power hitting as he smashed 54 off 30 balls, crunching four fours and four towering sixes before playing the ball down to long off and attempting a second run, found himself on the wrong side of Chris Mpofu's bullit like arm. Mpofu effortlessly whipped the ball in from long off to Brendan Taylor who calmly removed the bales and bought a spectacular innings to an abrupt end.
South Africa eventually scored the winning runs when Albie Morkel lofted the part time spinner Stuart Matsikenyeri in to the crowd to win the match. This was probably the first time that a crowd would break out in to spontaneous singing and dancing despite being on the losing end.
Zimbabwe will have to dig deep if they would want to cause a second upset and beet the powerful Proteas for a second time in Sundays final, but they will also be well aware of the fact that they are more than capable of beating the Proteas
