One Day Triangular, 5th match played at Harare Sports Club: South Africa A 215 (Ingram 51, S Masakadza 3-43) beat Zimbabwe A 174 (Morris 4-33, Phangiso 3-42) by 41 runs
Zimbabwe A's batsmen were unable to complete a job well done by the bowlers who had dismissed the powerful South African A side for 215, just short of 47 overs.
South Africa A won the toss and decided to bat on a pitch that offered a bit of extra bounce for the new ball bowlers. Richard Levi was joined by a new opening partner in Reeza Hendricks who usually opens the batting for his franchise the Northern Titans, but the normally aggressive Hendricks struggled against the swing of Brian Vitori who eventually induced Hendricks in to a false shot which saw him get an in side edge through to Richmond Mutumbami for a disappointing four.
Levi once again threatened to play an innings of substance and would have been furious when he smashed a Brian Vitori full toss straight to Raza Butt at cover for an aggressive 35 which left South Africa A in a spot of bother at 42-2. Colin Ingram and captain Faf du Plessis steadied the ship with a third wicket partnership of 83 before du Plessis who looked in a particularly destructive frame of mind was out for 41.
The South African A skipper struck Shingi Masakadza for two successive sixes, but the persistent Masakadza had the last laugh when he had the South African skipper well taken at long off by Tafadzwa Kamungozi.
Colin Ingram went on to reach his half century, but when he departed for a well played 51, South Africa A slumped from 150-4 to 215 all out when at one stage it looked as if a total of 300 was on the cards.
The two leg spinners Tinotenda Mutombodzi and Tafadzwa Kamungozi did an outstanding job in the middle overs. Kamungozi ended with figures of 0-39 from his 10 overs, while Mutombodzi claimed 2-41 which included the wicket of Colin Ingram.Shingi Masakadza who's first two overs cost 25 runs, bounced back superbly to end with figures of 3-43 in nine overs.
Going in to the lunchtime brake, Zimbabwe A would surely have felt that they were in with a more than realistic chance of beating the much fancied South African side, but from the onset they never showed any inclination of getting close.
Sikandar Raza Butt opened the batting along side captain Tinotenda Mawoyo due to Chamu Chibhabha incurring a finger injury while fielding. Both Butt and Mawoyo approached the chase in a apprehensive manner with the innings never gaining any real momentum. Mawoyo who had come off the back of two consecutive half centuries was the first to go when he attempted to cut a Chris Morris delivery which bounced on him and caught the top edge of the Zimbabwean A captains bat and was comfortably taken by Dane Vilas.
Raza Butt and Richmond Mutumbami added 54 runs for the second wicket before both set batsmen fell to left arm spinner Aaron Phangiso in the same over. Butt tried to pull a long hop from Phangiso But only succeeded in lobbing the ball straight to Richard Levi at mid on for a restrained 32 off 51 balls. Mutumbami who struggled against the seamers but never the less fought it out before being trapped leg before wicket for 30. Craig Ervine, Chamu Chibhabha and Shingi Masakadza went in quick succession, and although Elton Chigumbura and Tinotenda Mutombodzi made scores of 35 and 34 respectively, the damage had been done as Zimbabwe were dismissed for 174.
Chris Morris was the pick of the bowlers with 4-33 from 7-4 overs, while left arm spinner Aaron Phangiso continued to impress with figures of 3-42 from his quota of 10 overs.
Zimbabwe and Sri Lanka A now face each other in a must win game on Thursday in order to play South Africa A in Saturdays final.
