Corbin Bosch claimed a rare double of a century and a five-wicket haul to take South Africa to victory by a lopsided 328 runs over Zimbabwe on the fourth afternoon of the first test at the Queens Sports Club in Bulawayo on Tuesday.
Bosch, who became the fifth South African to achieve the feat, struck an undefeated 100 in South Africa’s first innings and then took 5-43 in 12 overs in Zimbabwe’s second innings that helped the Proteas dismiss the home team for 208 chasing the unlikely target of 537 for victory.
It was a match that South Africa controlled after the first session on the opening day when they slumped to 22 for three and 55 for four after winning the toss and batting first.
But then player of the match Lhuan-dre Pretorious struck 153 and fellow debutant Dewald Brevis 51 before Bosch helped the Proteas to a formidable 418 for nine declared.
Zimbabwe battled hard in their reply with Sean Williams striking a hundred before Wiaan Mulder struck his second test ton, and highest score, of 147 to set Zimbabwe a target they never looked remotely likely to achieve.
'DISPLAY WITH BALL ENCOURAGING'
Proteas’ skipper Keshav Maharaj said afterwards: “It was obviously very good to get over the line. The see the character we showed was heartwarming.”
He praised Pretorius, Brevis and Mulder before saying: “The display with the ball was very encouraging to see. No pressure, we know the talent within our systems. It was all about getting them into the right frame of mind to execute, and they showed that throughout the four days.”
Pretorius said: “It’s a moment I’ll cherish and remember for a very long time. It was amazing. The message was quite clear in the change room, that I needed to be myself. Soaking in the pressure and transferring it again was important.”
The damage was really done in the first hour of the day when Zimbabwe began on 32 for one, having lost the wicket of Takudzwanashe Kaitano to Bosch’s previous delivery in the final over of the day on Monday.
Bosch duly made it two in two when his short-pitched lifter was fended away by Nicholas Welch only to offer a simple catch to Tony de Zorzi at short leg.
First innings century-maker Williams defended the hat-trick ball then drove the next delivery imperiously for four, signalling his aggressive intentions.
The left-hander struck five fours in his 18-ball 26 before he became Bosch’s third victim when he got a leading edge to a ball he tried to turn down the leg side, the ball lobbing up into the gloves of wicketkeeper Kyle Verreynne.
If Williams’ dismissal was a body blow to the Zimbabweans, the introduction of fellow seamer Yusuf increased their woes.
With his first delivery, he had opener Prince Masvaure edging to Wiaan Mulder in the slips to depart for a gritty 12 off 76 deliveries.
Then it was the turn of Wessly Madhevere who edged a superb delivery to the wicketkeeper.
Finally Yusuf sent back Tafadzwa Tsiga who played away from his body to offer a sharp chance to Bosch at third slip.
Tsiga departed for a duck, and Zimbabwe were in a hopeless position on 82 for six.
RED FACES AVOIDED
Red faces were just about avoided, however, by a sparkling seventh-wicket partnership of 83 in 121 balls by skipper Craig Ervine and Wellington Masakadza.
With the pressure off concerning the ultimate result of the match, both men played with freedom on either side of lunch, with Masakadza striking some flamboyant drives through the off-side and Ervine honing his reverse-sweep against Maharaj.
The fun stopped shortly after lunch when Ervine (49 in 77 balls) clipped Bosch off his legs only for Tony de Zorzi to pick up a remarkable catch at short leg, diving to his left to claim the catch centimetres above the ground.
It was Vincent Masekesa who provided Bosch with his fifth wicket – his first five-for in tests – playing on off the inside edge.
Masakadza, meanwhile, had struck his first test fifty (his highest score before that was 17) and he went to 57 in 92 balls (9x4s) before he was caught at slip driving at Maharaj.
There was time for Blessing Muzarabani to have some fun striking four fours and two sixes in his unbeaten 32 before Brevis picked up his first test wicket having Tanaka Chivanga stumped down the legside by Verreynne.
Bosch had good support from Yusuf (3-22 in nine overs) on a day dominated by South Africa's pace attack.
ZIMBABWE: Brian Bennett, Takudzawanashe Kaitano, Nick Welch, Sean Williams, Craig Ervine (capt), Wessly Madhevere, Tafadzwa Tsiga (wk), Wellington Masakadza, Vincent Masekesa, Tanaka Chivanga, Blessing Muzarabani
SOUTH AFRICA: Matthew Breetzke, Tony de Zorzi, Wiaan Mulder, David Bedingham, Lhuan-dre Pretorius, Dewald Brevis, Kyle Verreynne (wk), Corbin Bosch, Keshav Maharaj, Codi Yusuf, Kwena Maphaka