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Kimberley - JP Duminy's record 96 not out and a tight final over bowled by Rusty Theron ensured South Africa beat Zimbabwe by eight runs in their second Standard Bank International Pro20 match at the Diamond Oval in Kimberley on Sunday.
Chasing a target of 195 for victory, Zimbabwe needed 15 off the last over, thanks to two half-centuries by Brendan Taylor and Chamu Chibhabha who scored 59 apiece.
Theron ket the visitors in check and they only managed six runs in the final over, ending their innings on 186 for seven.
Earlier, Duminy's showpiece innings came off 54 balls with 12 boundaries. He scored 21 runs off the last over. The previous record4 was held by Loots Bosman who scored 94 against England last season.
Awarded the man-of-the match award, Duminy said he was unaware of the record and disappointed not to get his century.
"I didn't know about the record but I'm happy with the way I played. It would have been nice to get a 100, but I'm pleased with the result," he said.
After winning the toss, South Africa amassed a total of 194 for six off their allotted 20 overs. Kimberley-born Bosman faced the first ball which he hit for four but he was out three balls later, caught by Chris Mpofu off the bowling of Prosper Utseya and South Africa were six for one.
Graeme Smith carried on where he left off on Friday night and slaughtered the Zimbabwe seamers but, frustrated by the spinners, he lashed out once too often and was caught by Graeme Cremer off Brendan Taylor for 46.
Colin Ingram had a short spell at the wicket before he was bowled by Utseya for 12.
Runs flowed steadily from Duminy and David Miller and their 69 run fourth-wicket partnership came off 48 balls.
Miller (25) had his stumps cleanly removed by seamer Shingirai Masakadza, playing his first game of the tour, and Heino Kuhn, Robin Peterson and captain Johan Botha each contributed one run to the total.
Pick of the Zimbabwean bowlers was Prosper Utseya who finished with 2/28 but Taylor also weighed in with his 1/16 off four overs.
The Zimbabweans showed great promise in their reply and the scoring rate favoured the visiting team until the last over.
Hamilton Masakadza opened the batting for Zimbabwe but managed just two boundaries before he was caught by Johan Botha off the bowling Lonwabo Tsotsobe for 10.
When Chibhabha came to the crease, the excitement began and he shared a second-wicket partnership of 107 off 71 balls with Taylor, putting their team ahead over-for-over until they were level-pegging at 161 after 18 overs. After 19 overs, Zimbabwe, on 180, were ahead, thanks to 19 runs coming off Parnell's last over. But Theron handled the pressure of bowling at the death with aplomb, restricting the visitors to six runs and leaving them eight runs short of a victory. "It was a very tight game," said Botha after the match.
"It was a good wicket and I was really impressed with the way Zimbabwe played. " All credit to them for getting so close but towards the end, the pressure got to them."
The Zimbabwe captain, Elton Chigumbura was pleased with his team's performance.
"South Africa scoring 23 runs off the last over upset us but otherwise we played well.
"I was happy for Brendan Taylor getting his 50 and also taking a wicket. Our bowlers kept to the plan and we managed to take seven wickets against South Africa."
South Africa won the series 2-0 and will meet their neighbours again in Bloemfontein next Friday at the start of the three-match one-day series.
Chasing a target of 195 for victory, Zimbabwe needed 15 off the last over, thanks to two half-centuries by Brendan Taylor and Chamu Chibhabha who scored 59 apiece.
Theron ket the visitors in check and they only managed six runs in the final over, ending their innings on 186 for seven.
Earlier, Duminy's showpiece innings came off 54 balls with 12 boundaries. He scored 21 runs off the last over. The previous record4 was held by Loots Bosman who scored 94 against England last season.
Awarded the man-of-the match award, Duminy said he was unaware of the record and disappointed not to get his century.
"I didn't know about the record but I'm happy with the way I played. It would have been nice to get a 100, but I'm pleased with the result," he said.
After winning the toss, South Africa amassed a total of 194 for six off their allotted 20 overs. Kimberley-born Bosman faced the first ball which he hit for four but he was out three balls later, caught by Chris Mpofu off the bowling of Prosper Utseya and South Africa were six for one.
Graeme Smith carried on where he left off on Friday night and slaughtered the Zimbabwe seamers but, frustrated by the spinners, he lashed out once too often and was caught by Graeme Cremer off Brendan Taylor for 46.
Colin Ingram had a short spell at the wicket before he was bowled by Utseya for 12.
Runs flowed steadily from Duminy and David Miller and their 69 run fourth-wicket partnership came off 48 balls.
Miller (25) had his stumps cleanly removed by seamer Shingirai Masakadza, playing his first game of the tour, and Heino Kuhn, Robin Peterson and captain Johan Botha each contributed one run to the total.
Pick of the Zimbabwean bowlers was Prosper Utseya who finished with 2/28 but Taylor also weighed in with his 1/16 off four overs.
The Zimbabweans showed great promise in their reply and the scoring rate favoured the visiting team until the last over.
Hamilton Masakadza opened the batting for Zimbabwe but managed just two boundaries before he was caught by Johan Botha off the bowling Lonwabo Tsotsobe for 10.
When Chibhabha came to the crease, the excitement began and he shared a second-wicket partnership of 107 off 71 balls with Taylor, putting their team ahead over-for-over until they were level-pegging at 161 after 18 overs. After 19 overs, Zimbabwe, on 180, were ahead, thanks to 19 runs coming off Parnell's last over. But Theron handled the pressure of bowling at the death with aplomb, restricting the visitors to six runs and leaving them eight runs short of a victory. "It was a very tight game," said Botha after the match.
"It was a good wicket and I was really impressed with the way Zimbabwe played. " All credit to them for getting so close but towards the end, the pressure got to them."
The Zimbabwe captain, Elton Chigumbura was pleased with his team's performance.
"South Africa scoring 23 runs off the last over upset us but otherwise we played well.
"I was happy for Brendan Taylor getting his 50 and also taking a wicket. Our bowlers kept to the plan and we managed to take seven wickets against South Africa."
South Africa won the series 2-0 and will meet their neighbours again in Bloemfontein next Friday at the start of the three-match one-day series.
