26/12Result
Only Test (D/N), Zimbabwe tour of South Africa [Dec 2017] at Gqeberha, Dec 26-27 2017
South Africa won by an inns & 120 runs
Player of the Match
Aiden Markram
Aiden MarkramSouth Africa
26/12Result
Only Test (D/N), Zimbabwe tour of South Africa [Dec 2017] at Gqeberha, Dec 26-27 2017
South Africa won by an inns & 120 runs
Player of the Match
Aiden Markram
Aiden MarkramSouth Africa

8:20pm Morkel will open the bowling. Three slips, a gully and a short leg in.

8:16pm Must also point out that AB de Villiers will be South Africa's wicketkeeper this evening. De Kock has a hamstring strain. an intense South African team talk is underway as the Zimbabwean openers calmly walk past their huddle.

Anish Rijal: "May be no.11 didn't have his gear on."

Hetelani Mukwak: "This is unbelievable, thumbs up for Zimbabwe. Bowling SA on first day is a positive result on it's own. "

Imtiaz: "This is the beauty of Cricket, one minute up and the next minute down'. Some good cricket from Zimbabweans. Hoping a cracker from the zim side."

titch maphosa: "Methinks SA are rather suprised by the plucky Zimbawean perfomance...and i'm liking this very much"

8:09pm South Africa have declared. This match is on steroids! The sun's gone down and suddenly we have acceleration. ZImbabwe have done sensationally to force South Africa to declare, after being dominated all day. Kyle Jarvis started it all with a top spell to start the session, and Cremer finally managed to cut out the loose balls from his overs. 5 for 37 South Africa, in seven overs. There's a minimum of 18 overs to be bowled today.

78.3
W
Mpofu to Maharaj, OUT, Burl dives low to his left at gully and holds on. Back of a length ball shapes away in the corridor. Draws the bat out, takes the edge and he's held on very nicely

KA Maharaj c Burl b Mpofu 5 (4m 5b 1x4 0x6) SR: 100.00

78.2
4
Mpofu to Maharaj, FOUR, slashes aerially and, it appears, over point. Yep, that fielder couldn't get a hand on it with his leap upwards. Short ball outside off and he clobbers this
78.1
0
Mpofu to Maharaj, no run, bouncer at a leg stump line, he ducks under it

END OF OVER:
78 | 2 Runs 2 Wkts | SA: 305/8

  • Keshav Maharaj1 (2b)
  • Andile Phehlukwayo4 (6b)
  • Graeme Cremer18-0-66-2
  • Chris Mpofu13-1-54-2
77.6
1
Cremer to Maharaj, 1 run, back of a length and turning away outside off, poked to extra cover's right. His throw hits the stumps, deflects past square leg and gives them a run after a slight mix up
77.5
0
Cremer to Maharaj, no run, googly slides past the inside edge as he pushes forward. Gets him on the pad and this one is definitely going down leg

Slip, gully and short leg for Maharaj

77.4
W
Cremer to Rabada, 1 run, OUT, it appears Rabada has run himself out. It's been sent upstairs. Zimbabwe are convinced. Full ball at off stump, drives inside-out, wide of cover. A decent shot, but a strange decision to come back for a second. The throw is good to the striker's end, on the bounce. Rabada slides and can't make it. Replays confirm he is out. He jogged for the first, indicating a second run was never on his mind. Until, suddenly, it was.

K Rabada run out 1 (3m 1b 0x4 0x6) SR: 100.00

They've taken drinks

77.3
W
Cremer to de Kock, OUT, sweeps and misses to be caught in front of off stump. It's very full. Looks to be smashing leg stump on first look. De Kock won't even review it. Cremer getting em

Q de Kock lbw b Cremer 24 (60m 38b 4x4 0x6) SR: 63.15

77.2
0
Cremer to de Kock, no run, short and down leg side, half-hearted attempt to tickle it fine. Beaten
77.1
0
Cremer to de Kock, no run, floated up outside off, flicked to midwicket

END OF OVER:
77 | 5 Runs | SA: 303/6

  • Andile Phehlukwayo4 (6b)
  • Quinton de Kock24 (35b)
  • Chris Mpofu13-1-54-2
  • Graeme Cremer17-0-64-1
76.6
0
Mpofu to Phehlukwayo, no run, back of a length at off stump, defended off the back foot
76.5
0
Mpofu to Phehlukwayo, no run, back of a length wide outside off, left alone
76.4
0
Mpofu to Phehlukwayo, no run, full outside off, elegant drive again. Can't beat extra cover to his left

Kevin: "@Deepak Kumar: Looking at the manner in which Rossouw left, I will be shocked if he ever plays for South Africa again. Also, there is enough talent in the country. Look at Aiden Markram!"

76.3
4
Mpofu to Phehlukwayo, FOUR, stylish square drive. Good length, wide outside off. Leans in gracefully and opens the face to beat point

Pradeep: "well, things may yet change, but Zim bowlers have not lost their honour here. A different story that SA may already have enough to bowl out ZIM twice."

76.2
0
Mpofu to Phehlukwayo, no run, back of a length outside off, left alone
76.1
1
Mpofu to de Kock, 1 run, back of a length outside off, carved to deep point

Bobby from around the wicket

END OF OVER:
76 | 3 Runs 1 Wkt | SA: 298/6

  • Andile Phehlukwayo0 (1b)
  • Quinton de Kock23 (34b)
  • Graeme Cremer17-0-64-1
  • Chamu Chibhabha11-1-51-0

Taushulu Aluten: "23 overs in an hour and 15 minutes? I doubt it." --- Yep, we're almost definitely going to have a half-hour extension.

W. Beard: "They'll get that review back in 4 overs... unfortunately, Philander is in the pavilion for the rest of this innings" --- They won't, there's no replenishment anymore.

75.6
0
Cremer to Phehlukwayo, no run, length ball at leg stump, spins past the inside edge by a long way as he gets on the back foot

Leg gully comes in

75.5
W
Cremer to Philander, OUT, misses a googly and is struck in front. On the front foot to defend, beaten on the inside edge and Ketleborough gives it out. Philander reviews. He might have a chance on line, this looked like it could have been going down...nope it isn't. Hitting leg stump halfway up. Philander gone, along with a review. It appeared close because he'd put a big stride in and that googly had spun a long way. The umpire too his time and made a good decision

VD Philander lbw b Cremer 10 (22m 15b 2x4 0x6) SR: 66.66

75.4
0
Cremer to Philander, no run, full at off stump, driven straight to extra cover
75.3
2b
Cremer to Philander, 2 byes, googly at a length, pitches on leg stump and slides down. Gives Masakadza a long chase after deflecting of Taylor's glove
75.2
1
Cremer to de Kock, 1 run, back of a length and spinning into the pads, glanced to long leg

Short leg and slip for Cremer

75.1
0
Cremer to de Kock, no run, good length at middle stump, pushed into the midwicket region

Deepak Kumar: "Zimbabwe took back Jarvis after he took off for a Kolpak stint. I just hope that CSA can also find it in their heart to take Back Rossouw when and if he chooses to play for SA again. It has happened before with Rudolph,i just would really love to see Rillee play for SA again."

END OF OVER:
75 | 7 Runs | SA: 295/5

  • Vernon Philander10 (12b)
  • Quinton de Kock22 (32b)
  • Chamu Chibhabha11-1-51-0
  • Kyle Jarvis18-2-57-3

Pierre: "If Faf was captaining he would declare at 300 and let Philander bowl Zim out by stumps!"

74.6
4
Chibhabha to Philander, FOUR, deftly steered. Length ball outside off at 119kph, gives him the time to chase with just his hands and guide it past third slip
74.5
0
Chibhabha to Philander, no run, back of a length, upright seam, swinging away from the corridor. Left alone
74.4
0
Chibhabha to Philander, no run, full at middle stump, pushed back down the pitch
74.3
1
Chibhabha to de Kock, 1 run, swats this length ball hard, but hits it straight to deep point

Match Coverage

All Match News

A short finish

1

No. of Tests to be completed in fewer balls in last 50 years than this Test which had only 907 balls. The Sharjah Test of 2002 between Pakistan and Australia last only 893 balls.

Fifth lowest

4

No. of smaller Test totals for Zimbabwe, than the 68 in this game. This is also the lowest total for any team this year.

Long gap

2012

Last time Morne Morkel took a five-wicket haul in Tests, before today's match. He had picked it against Australia at Adelaide in November 2012. His last five-for at home was in December 2010.

Session of wickets

88/9

Score in the final session on first day. In first two sessions, 251 runs were scored for loss of four wickets while the last session saw 9 wickets for 88 runs in 29 overs.

Solid beginning

380

Runs for Markram from his four Test innings, the fifth-most for any batsman. Javed Miandad leads the chart with 419 runs while the previous best among SA batsmen was 311 runs by Rudolf.

Excellent start

3

No. of 50+ scores for Aiden Markram from his 4 Test innings. He scored 97, 15 and 143 in the series against Bangladesh and has scored another fifty in this match.

New format

1973

Last time a four-day Test was hosted, which was between New Zealand and Pakistan in Auckland.