J.P. Duminy hit 96 not out, the highest score by a South Africa batsman in a Twenty20 international, and it proved just enough to secure a 2-0 series victory against Zimbabwe at the Diamond Oval on Sunday.
Duminy propelled South Africa to an imposing 194 for six in 20 overs, but Zimbabwe made a spirited reply before losing by eight runs. Brendan Taylor and Chamu Chibhabha both hit 59 as Zimbabwe raced to 122 for one with seven overs remaining.
In the end it was Duminy’s late assault that made the difference. The left-hander made his runs off 54 balls, with his last 46 scored off just 17 deliveries, as South Africa scored 67 off the last five overs of their innings.
Photo: AFP
It was a closing rate Zimbabwe could not match as five batsmen fell to catches off attempted big hits and captain Elton Chigumbura was run out attempting an improbable second run in the penultimate over.
Zimbabwe’s total of 186 for seven was their highest in a Twenty20 international and Chigumbura said he was happy with his side’s improved showing after they went down by seven wickets with 25 balls remaining in the first match in Bloemfontein on Friday.
“It was a much better performance, especially with the ball, but the last three overs went for many [runs]. Overall I’m happy,” Chigumbura said.
Johan Botha, South Africa’s newly-appointed Twenty20 captain, gave credit to Zimbabwe for making the match so close.
“They played excellently in the chase,” Botha said.
For Duminy, it marked a strong start to a new season after a disappointing 2009-2010 campaign.
He followed up an unbeaten 35 in the first game with a score that surpassed Loots Bosman’s previous South Africa best of 94, made against England at Centurion last season.
Duminy hit 10 fours and four sixes after he came to the wicket with his side on 29 for two, with both wickets taken by Zimbabwe off-spinner Prosper Utseya, who opened the bowling.
“We lost a few key wickets up front, so it was about rebuilding the innings, then launching at the end,” Duminy said.
“It’s always good to get runs under the belt, especially for me after an iffy sort of season last season,” he added.
Opening batsman Taylor starred for Zimbabwe, hitting 59 off 39 balls after claiming the key wicket of Graeme Smith and conceding only 16 runs in four overs with his rarely-used off-spin bowling.
Shohei Ohtani and his wife arrived in South Korea with his Los Angeles Dodgers teammates yesterday ahead of their season-opening games with the San Diego Padres next week. Ohtani, wearing a black training suit and a cap backwards, was the first Dodgers player who showed up at the arrival gate of Incheon International Airport, west of Seoul. His wife, Mamiko Tanaka, walked several steps behind him. As a crowd of fans, many wearing Dodgers jerseys, shouted his name and cheered slogans, Ohtani briefly waved his hand, but did not say anything before he entered a limousine bus with his wife. Fans held placards
Taiwan’s Tai Tzu-ying yesterday advanced to the quarter-finals at the All England Open, beating Kim Ga-eun of South Korea 21-17, 21-15. With the win, Tai earned a semi-final against China’s He Bingjiao, who beat Michelle Li of Canada 21-9, 21-9. Defending champion An Se-young defeated India’s P.V. Sindhu 21-19, 21-11. An on Wednesday cruised into the second round, unlike last year’s men’s winner, Li Shifeng, who suffered a shock defeat. South Korea’s An, the world No. 1, overcame Taiwan’s Hsu Wen-chi 21-17, 21-16 to set up the match against Sindhu. In other women’s singles matches, Taiwan’s Sung Shuo-yun lost 21-18, 24-22 against Carolina Marin of
EYEING TOP SPOT: A victory in today’s final against Storm Hunter and Katerina Siniakova would return 38-year-old Hsieh Su-wei to the world No. 1 ranking Taiwan’s Hsieh Su-wei and Elise Mertens on Thursday secured a spot in the women’s doubles finals at the BNP Paribas Open after dispatching Nicole Melichar-Martinez of the US and Australia’s Ellen Perez 6-2, 7-6 (7/5) at Indian Wells. Hsieh and her Belgian partner Mertens, who won the Australian Open in late January, coasted through the first set after breaking their opponents’ serve twice, but found the going tougher in the second. Both pairs could only muster one break point over 12 games, neither of which were converted, leaving the set to be decided by a tiebreaker. Hsieh and Mertens took a 6-3 lead,
DOUBLES PAYBACK: Hsieh Su-wei and Elise Martens avenged their defeat in the quarters at the Qatar TotalEnergies Open against Demi Schuurs and Luisa Stefani Taiwan’s Hsieh Su-wei on Wednesday advanced to the semi-finals of the women’s doubles at the BNP Paribas Open in Indian Wells, California. Hsieh and partner Elise Mertens of Belgium dispatched Demi Schuurs and Luisa Stefani 6-1, 6-4 to set up a clash against Nicole Melichar-Martinez of the US and Australia’s Ellen Perez for a spot in the final of the WTA 1000 tournament. Hsieh and Martens made a blistering start to their rematch after they lost to Schuurs and Stefani in the quarter-finals at the Qatar TotalEnergies Open last month, winning three games without reply at the start of the first set